With an expected attendance of 70 million visitors over the course of six months, the World Expo Shanghai 2010 is bracing itself for what is expected to be the largest World Expo ever. This edition focuses on responsible urban development, with the theme “Better City, Better Life,” and is located in the waterfront area on both sides of Shanghai’s Huangpu River.
“Shanghai is safe and welcoming,” Bin Cheng Li, standing director of the Shanghai Tourism Association told TravelAge West during a press conference. “Our facilities here are among the best in the country, and our tourism industry will develop even more after the expo. The expo is only a highlight.”
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The design of the Spain Pavilion is inspired by folk art.// © 2010 Bob Lang
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And what a highlight it is. Nearly 250 countries and international organizations are participating, each trying to outdo the other with creative giveaways, ultra-high-tech demonstrations and staggering architectural designs that are as unique as the countries they represent. The Spain Pavilion, for instance, references the country’s hand-woven wicker baskets using 8,000 interwoven brown, beige and black panels, while Poland incorporates traditional paper-cutting techniques and lighting effects to make its structure resemble a folded paper box.
On the contrary, some countries — including Pakistan, whose pavilion is a full-scale replica of the 16th-century Lahore Fort — side with tradition rather than contemporary design.
But it’s what’s inside the pavilions that often gets the most attention and, for clients still on the fence, this expo is the first to offer virtual tours of select pavilions using 3D technology.
Not only can they view both pavilion exteriors and interiors in various perspectives but, through video, audio and animation, clients can get a taste of the individual exhibits inside.
Clients can also play interactive expo-themed games, win tickets to the expo and create detailed schedules, all through the Expo.cn website, which officially launched in full capacity this month.
Actual attendees have much ground to cover, but free public transportation, including ferries, cross-river busses and the Metro, can help clients traverse more than three square miles of event space. On the most popular days, lines to enter some pavilions could be two hours long, so advise clients to aim for their top three or four pavilions on weekend days or holidays.
Long lines shouldn’t be a deterrent by any means as the cultural gems inside will be well worth the wait. Clients can gawk at the work of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin in the France Pavilion and, if they have a weakness for decadence, they can browse the Belgium Pavilion’s international diamond collection and sample complimentary Belgian chocolates. Furthermore, an average of more than 100 performances, from folk art to traditional dance shows, will be held daily.
In accordance with the International Exhibitions Bureau, only five of the host country’s structures will have a life beyond the expo. Among them, the Expo Center will be used for meetings and convention space, and the Expo Village will become a mega-development of hotels and apartment buildings. These transitions are all part of Shanghai’s multifaceted, long-term tourism plan, according to Li.
“We want Shanghai to be a famous destination worldwide and expect more international conferences to be held here after the expo has run its course,” he said.
The Details
World Expo Shanghai 2010
862-196-2010
www.expo2010.cn
www.expo.cn
Single-day admission ranges from about $22-$30. Evening admission is approximately $13. Multi-day tickets and group rates are also available. The expo runs through October.
Web Exclusive
Click here to read a Q&A with Nick Winslow, spokesperson for the Shanghai World Expo 2010’s U.S. Pavilion.
Only Online
Scroll down to read about EVA Air travel packages.
U.S. Pavilion & EVA Air Travel Packages
Taiwan-based EVA Air has brought the Shanghai Tourism Association and Taipei Tourism Commission together to launch a collection of new Shanghai World Expo-themed tour packages from some of North America’s leading travel specialists. The packages were introduced at various Fun Taipei, Exciting Shanghai World Expo events in New York City and in Los Angeles County earlier this year.
“We have a strategic partnership with the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration to promote tourism to the region,” said James Jeng, president of EVA Airways, during a press conference held in Taipei last month.
The commissioner of Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism, Chung-Hwa Tuo, also spoke at the press conference, which saw several North American tour operators and travel agents in attendance.
“On their way to Shanghai for the expo, we hope that tourists can enjoy all that Taipei has to offer,” said Tuo.
The following packages incorporate sightseeing in Taipei, expo tickets/tours in Shanghai and roundtrip airfare on EVA Air.
AsiaLuxe Holidays
Tour operator AsiaLuxe Holidays is offering a package that covers must-see stops in both Taipei and Shanghai. The five-night tour includes an expo ticket and a full-day tour of the international event as well as roundtrip airport transfers in a private car in both cities.
In Shanghai, guests will stay at the Swissotel Grand Shanghai and enjoy daily breakfast. They will get a day tour (lunch included) of Shanghai’s Yuyuan Gardens, the Bund and the Jade Buddha Temple. In Taipei, the Howard Plaza Hotel will host clients, offering daily breakfast before clients tour the city and the National Palace Museum.
Price: Priced from $1,780 per person, based on double occupancy
Commission: 10 percent
Globotours
Hangzhou and Shanghai, China, and Taiwan’s capital city of Taipei are the destinations featured on Globotours’ 10-day package. Clients will cruise on Hangzhou’s West Lake and visit a tea plantation for an introduction to the production of Chinese tea. In Taipei, they will visit the city’s most famous monument, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, and tour the National Palace Museum. The package also includes hotel accommodations for eight nights, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, a train ticket from Hangzhou to Shanghai, meals and sightseeing tours as specified in the itinerary, a ticket to the expo event in Shanghai for two days and all service charges and hotel taxes.
Price: Priced from $2,049 per person, based on double occupancy
Commission: 10 percent
Sita World Tours
Sita World Tours’ 14-day Discover Taiwan & China package promises first-class accommodations with private facilities; the services of a professional Sita tour manager and local, English speaking guides; baggage handling; and plenty of free time.
In Taipei, clients will stay at the famous Grand Hotel and visit the Taroko Gorge, the National Palace Museum and the Martyrs’ Shrine to watch the changing of the guards ceremony. In Beijing, the tour visits Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and features an authentic Peking duck banquet on one night. The Terra-Cotta Warriors in Xian and a day at the Shanghai World Expo are other highlights of this comprehensive vacation.
Price: Priced from $3,290 per person, based on double occupancy
Commission: Starting at 12 percent
