Amid renewed demand for international travel as Expo 2020 Dubai prepares to welcome millions of visitors to the largest global gathering since the start of the pandemic, organisers have announced enhanced entry measures to ensure a safe and exceptional event.
Running from 1st October 2021 until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 will invite everyone to join the making of a new world as visitors reconnect through a six-month celebration of creativity, innovation, human progress and culture.
Visitors aged 18 and above will be required to present proof of any vaccine recognised by their national government or a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours. Non-vaccinated ticket-holders who have not been tested within this period can test at the PCR testing facility adjacent to the Expo 2020 site.
Moving forward, a network of testing centres across the city will be available and can be found on the Expo 2020 website. On presentation of any valid Expo 2020 ticket, alongside an Expo 1-Day or Multi-Day Pass, the PCR test will be free of charge.
Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The UAE continues to drive the global tourism recovery, and Expo 2020 Dubai will be the only global gathering of this size and cultural diversity since the start of COVID-19. By updating our vaccination and testing requirements, we are opening up a world of discovery and education for every visitor from every corner of the planet, enabling the world to experience Expo 2020’s incredible offering in a safe and secure manner.”
Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body of World Expos, said: “Dubai’s effective strategy to manage COVID-19 has allowed Expo preparations to progress smoothly, and the enhanced requirements announced by Expo 2020 organisers today strengthen the Expo’s goal of bringing everyone back together to join the making of a new world.
“In the face of the pandemic, our collective resolve for solidarity has only been strengthened as the UAE and all international participants have persevered in their commitment to realising a safe and meaningful World Expo,” added Kerkentzes.
