<potužník>Visitor numbers for the Expo 2020 in Dubai do not reach the expected levels</potužník>

Prague – The attendance at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, which started in October, is not meeting the expected level. The modest style of signage and visitor guidance needs to be changed to a more prominent one, and the same applies to the operation and interior of the restaurant and bar. In an interim report to be presented to the government on Monday, the Commissioner General for the Czech Republic's participation in the exhibition, Jiří František Potužník, stated this.

"After the first two months, it can be stated that the media and professional interest in the Czech exhibit significantly exceeds expectations, but that attendance does not reach the anticipated level and the modest style of signage and visitor guidance must be changed to a more prominent one (also based on the recommendations of the advisory architects); the same applies to the operation and interior of the restaurant and SkyBar," said Potužník.

The Czech Republic presents itself as a country of nature, science, and innovation. The main theme of the Czech exhibit is the Solar Air Water Earth Resource (S.A.W.E.R.) system, which produces water from air using solar energy, intended to irrigate the garden surrounding the Czech pavilion.

The total budget for the Czech participation, including non-financial participation, amounts to 374 million crowns. The contribution from the state budget, which was increased by 25.2 million last July, is 185.2 million crowns. Czech participation is financed on a PPP basis, meaning in cooperation with the private and public sectors.

According to Potužník, the Czech pavilion is among the most efficient compared to previous national projects at World Expos or with other foreign participants at the current exhibition. "Similar to Expo 2015 in Milan, contributions from private companies exceed 100 million crowns, which allows the state contribution to remain a fraction of previous amounts," he noted.

The exhibition opened to visitors on October 1, a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will last for six months. For the first time, an Arab country is hosting the event. Visitors can explore the pavilions of 191 countries. The common thread of the exhibits is new ideas that can contribute to shaping the future, sustainability, mobility, and new opportunities.

The event is not without epidemiological measures. Visitors must wear masks and maintain distances, except for groups or families. There are also rules for disinfection and movement in restaurants. The daily number of people at the exhibition has been limited. Given the measures, attendance at the exhibition was estimated to be a maximum of 22 million people before it started.