Saudi Arabia has announced its preparedness to receive more than 120 million visitors for Riyadh Expo 2030 in a recent Twitter video.
Entitled ‘Riyadh, ready to welcome the world in Expo 2030,’ the 39-second clip showcased the cityscape of Riyadh, emphasizing the nation’s impressive transformation into a contemporary metropolis.
Expo 2030 centers on Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable development, a key theme the nation aims to highlight if it wins the bid.
The video promotes the event as the “most connected exhibition ever,” with Riyadh Air as the partner company, facilitating seamless travel for visitors from around the world.
The ambitious objective is to transport visitors from the airport to the venue in a mere five minutes, providing unmatched convenience.
The kingdom has already set aside £7.8B for Riyadh Expo 2030. Minister of Investment Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih stated that the exhibition budget amounts to £7.8B, further bolstering Saudi Arabia’s broader investment plans in Riyadh, as per an official statement on the Riyadh Expo 2030 website.
Scheduled to take place from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031, Riyadh Expo 2030 plans to explore the theme of “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.”
Located near the developing King Salman International Airport, the venue for Riyadh Expo 2030 ensures convenient access for attendees arriving in the city.
The competition for hosting rights is intense, with Busan, South Korea, Rome, and Odessa in Ukraine vying for the chance to host this prestigious event.
The final decision on the host city will be announced in November.
On June 19, Saudi Arabia unveiled the master plan for Riyadh Expo 2030 at an official reception in Paris, France. Representatives from 179 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) attended the event.
The Riyadh Expo 2030 site will feature 226 pavilions, representing different countries positioned alongside each other, symbolizing the kingdom’s crucial role in promoting global cooperation.
To ensure environmental responsibility, the exhibition site will be powered by clean energy from solar sources, adhering to high standards of resource efficiency.
Furthermore, the organizers are actively working on strategies to enhance biodiversity, minimize food waste, and establish green waste management and recycling practices.
Although Saudi Arabia is not the first GCC country to host the World Expo, Dubai was the first city to do so among the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region in 2021.
Due to the onset of Covid-19, Expo 2020 Dubai was postponed for a year, but the city retained the title and successfully conducted the six-month-long event, welcoming over 24 million visitors from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
