Although its bid for the right to hold World Expo 2020 came in at the last minute, Dubai was highly confident of winning host status. The emirate was so confident, in fact, that high-performance sports cars bearing Dubai Police insignia and on display at Dubai Airshow 2013—a week before the official result was announced—bore logos proclaiming Dubai would be the event's host. Those logos are now seen on Emirates aircraft all over the world.

Taking place under the direction of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), with a theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” this will be the first Expo hosted from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA). Organizers claim that 25 million people will visit the six-month event, 70 percent of them coming from outside the UAE. Judging by its status as a global conference hub, Dubai has perfected the art of hospitality, and the emirate is committed to ensuring its guests will not be disappointed.

Expo 2020 will welcome more than 200 international participants, including a record 192 countries. “It will connect nations, multinational corporations, non-government organizations, and millions of visitors from all over the world, providing an opportunity to see future innovations, marvel at unique architecture, experience diverse cultures, taste cuisines from all over the world, and enjoy live performances, art, and other entertainment,” the BIE said.

Construction is well underway at the 4.38-square-kilometer (1.7-sq-mile) site at the northern apex of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), including a new metro station designed to handle 36,000 passengers per hour. DWC officials have been hesitant to provide estimates, but around 2,000 business aviation flights could bring VIP attendees to the event.

Ever since the Great Exhibition, captured the imagination of the United Kingdom in 1851, World Expos take place every five years. Innovations introduced at past Expos include IMAX (Osaka, 1970), touchscreens (Knoxville, 1982) and the humanoid robot (Nagoya, 2005). Expo 2020 will be held between October 20 and April 10, 2021.