A Study on “Impact of Expo 2020, Dubai in Hospitality industry

of Dubai: A case study of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira

Creek”

International School of Tourism and Hotel Management

Affiliate to Salzburg University of Applied Sciences

Salzburg, Austria

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

FHS Diploma in Hotel Management (FHSDHM)

By

Prasanta Panta

Roll No: 19066

Registration No: FHS 018 IST 0066
February 2022
 DECLARATION
This is certify that this thesis entitled “A study on Impact of Expo 2020, Dubai in Hospitality
Industry Of Dubai” which is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award
of the degree of FHS Diploma in Hotel Management (FHSDHM) to Salzburg University of
Applied sciences (FHS), Austria comprises only my original work and due acknowledgement
has been made in the text to all other material used.
 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who provided me the possibility
to complete this report. I would like to express my gratitude to International School of
Tourism and Hotel Management affiliated to Salzburg University of applied sciences and
technology for including the thesis report under Research Methodology subject during my
internship. I would like to thank Mr. Saroj Pokhrel for guiding stimulating giving
suggestion and encouraging me to prepare this report.
Furthermore I would like to acknowledge with much appreciation to the Radisson Blu, Dubai
Deira Creek and website of Radisson Blu Hotel for providing information which helped me a
lot while preparing this report. Lastly, I cannot miss to those staffs of Radisson Blu Hotal,
who openly answered my question.
Prasanta Panta
Kathmandu, Nepal
Intake2018
Contents
CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1
Background....................................................................................................................................1
Statement of problems..................................................................................................................2
Research Objective........................................................................................................................2
Significance of the Study................................................................................................................2
Conceptual framework..................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 2.............................................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 3.............................................................................................................................................4
Research methodology......................................................................................................................4
Limitation of Study............................................................................................................................4
Ethical Consideration.........................................................................................................................5
Survey Questionnaires...................................................................................................................6
Time Plan...........................................................................................................................................7
Budget...............................................................................................................................................7
References.............................................................................................................................................8
 CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Background
Expo 2020 Dubai is the Universal Exhibition that will be held in the United Arab Emirates from 1
October 2021 to 31 March 2022. As main objective of Expo is to raise public awareness, to share
change, to encourage progress and to convey experiences in its own field. So, main purpose of Expo
2020 is “connecting minds, creating future”. Which is based on the belief that bringing the world
together can catalyse an exchange of new perspectives and inspire action to deliver real-life solutions
to real-world challenges.
For 170 years, World Expos have provided a platform to showcase the greatest innovations that have
shaped the world we live in today. Expo 2020 will continue that tradition with the latest technology
from around the globe. In the spirit of innovation and positive change for the future, Expo 2020 is a
global platform dedicated to bringing people, communities and nations together to build bridges,
enable action and inspire solutions toward some of the world’s most challenging issues. Expo 2020
represents the hope and belief in the power and impact of human innovation, imagination and
ingenuity.

This is the Expo first time held in Arab. The Expo 2020 is supposed to start from 1 st October 2020 but
due to COVID-19 it was postpone and started from 1st October 2021.
Following are the main activities in Expo 2020, Dubai UAE
1. Architecture
2. Arts and culture
3. Business and Entrepreneurship
4. Country pavilions and Exhibitions
5. Food and Beverage
6. Innovation and Technology
7. Live Events and Performance
8. Mobility
9. Opportunity
10. Retail and Merchandise
11. Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing
12. Sustainability
Expo 2020 is one of the biggest events in the world, which brings people from all over the world. And
people from the different nation, culture can experience world at single event site. As this place is
connected to world, it has definitely some positive and negative impact to the host country in ;
1. Society and culture
2. Business and economy
3. Environment

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Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek is first five star and international chain hotel in
historic Dubai. Which was opened in 1975.

Statement of problems
The main problem in research is COVID-19. As the event is exposition, and people should
visit event site and due to COVID-19 lots of country’s flight has been closed and lots of
hotels are closed which has affected to hospitality industry.

Research Objective
A research objective is a clear, concise, declarative statement, which provides direction to
investigate the variables. This research helps to know that,
1. To know the economic impact in the hospitality industry
2. To know the social and cultural impact in hospitality industry,
3. To know the environmental impact in hospitality industry.

Significance of the Study

The main significance of the study is that it will help for future references or guideline for
research. It will further enhance the knowledge on the subject mattered concerned. It will also
give some more information about the expo 2020, Dubai. The concerned authority get more
beneficial by this report. This report will also be useful to know the benefits and drawback of
big expo event like expo 2020 Dubai.

Conceptual framework
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a
selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational
setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibition hall, or World's fairs.
Exhibitions can include many things such as art in both major museums and smaller galleries,
interpretive exhibitions, natural history museums and history museums, and also varieties
such as more commercially focused exhibitions and trade fairs.

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 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
Due to the very recent nature of the announcement, there is almost no literature dealing
directly with the relationship between Dubai and the Expo 2020. However, there has been
considerable commentary in the form of political and economic punditry, much of which is
academic. Piers Schreiber, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at
the Jumeirah Group, claimed that ‘the Expo will create up to 270,000 jobs in the region,
bringing great economic and social benefits’ (cited in Wilson, 2013). Among these are an
injection of roughly €17.7 billion into the economy and a migration of talent from abroad
(Wilson, 2013). These estimations are supported by the forecasting group Oxford Economics,
which claims that the event will contribute nearly $40 billion to Dubai’s GDP and create
277,000 new jobs over the next seven years (Big News Network, 2013). A similar argument
is put forward by Rose and Spiegel (2009), whose work suggests that ‘mega events’ lead to a
substantial increase in trade (approx. 30%); however, they also show that ‘unsuccessful bids
to host the Olympics have a similar positive impact on exports…trade is attributable to the
signal a country sends when bidding to host the games, rather than the act of actually holding
a mega-event’ (p1).
Although Sheik Mohammed has claimed that the “Dubai Expo 2020 will breathe new life
into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity” (Big
News Network, 2013), the goal of cultural diversity has been questioned due to the strong
emphasis on boosting an ‘Islamic economy’, which suggests continuity more than change
(Wilson, 2013).
Based on comparisons with other ‘mega events’, it is often argued that the effects of the Expo
2020 are likely to be negative for Dubai. Rose and Spiegel (2009), for example, stress that
much of the evidence for the benefits of mega events is commissioned by groups with biasing
agendas (e.g., Humphreys and Plummer, 1995; Fuller and Clinch, 2000, both cited in Rose
and Spiegel, 2009). The same is argued by Nitsch and Wendland (2013), who also point to
the large initial investment in facilities and infrastructure associated with mega events, which
can place a considerable burden on the local or national economy; there tends also to be a
dramatic and unpredictable effect on property prices. The conclusion of Nitsch and Wendland
(2013) is that mega events tend to have an overwhelmingly negative effect on population
growth (i.e., a population decline), as measured relative to a control group.
However, Nitsch and Wendland (2013), and Rose and Spiegel (2009), point to the difficulty
of estimating the impact of major events. Problems quantifying the effects, especially on
phenomena such as labor markets, are often exacerbated by the fact that many studies are
commissioned ex ante by biased groups. Moreover, in conducting analyses such as this, it is
difficult to find an adequate sample size due to the infrequency of mega events. Then there
are problems with the intangibility of cultural and social spillover effects, as well as the
economic multiplier (Rose and Spiegel, 2009).

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 CHAPTER 3
Research methodology
Research Design: This research design investigates to know how Expo 2020 has impacted in
the hospitality industry of Dubai. And economy of whole country. Similarly, this study also
uses survey in order to collect information.
Research Site: To collect some data about expo, the researcher will use official site of Expo
and some online site. And for case study, researcher will do research in Radisson Blu Hotel,
Dubai, Deira Creek. The researcher finds this site suitable for study. The selected area is
easily accessible and reachable for the researcher.
Universe and sampling: To get the accurate data and finding research will take interview
with some staff who are working in event site itself. And to get business and revenue data,
researcher will take interview with some senior staffs of hotel.
Data collection method: The primary data will be collected through taking interview and
surveys and observation method. There will be some questions which will be asked to staffs
working in event site and some of senior staff of hotel. The question will be yes/no question.
And some descriptive questions. The secondary data will be collected through books,
journals, magazines and various websites.
Data analysis process: The obtained data will be analyzed and grouped under different
headings and sub-headings. The quantitative data will be pictured through charts, diagrams,
graphs for easy understanding.
Chapter organizations:
There will be four chapter in this thesis.
 Chapter 1 will include Introduction, Statement of problem and Literature Review.
 Chapter 2 includes Research objectives, significance, operational definition and limitations.
 Chapter 3 will include data presentation and analysis.
 Chapter 4 will cover summary, conclusion and references.

Limitation of Study
The limitation of study is that the researcher will be limited within ‘Expo 2020, Dubai and
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek’. As this event is very big it is little difficult to get

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accurate data. Thus it may not provide actual data or information about their status and
strategies of long span of time.

Ethical Consideration
During the research of “Impact of Expo 2020, Dubai in hospitality industry of Dubai” may
come ethical issues shall be considered while preparing the thesis. The research will try best
to avoid the ethical sensitiveness. During the research, the researcher will not force to
anyone. Moreover, researcher will not collect fake and unethical data.

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Survey Questionnaires
1. Why this event ‘Expo 2020’ is important for Radisson Blu, Dubai Deira Creek?
2. How many people got employments opportunity by Radisson Blu for ‘Expo 2020’?
3. What are the challenges that you faced as hospitality partner in this event?
4. What is the approximate revenue generated by this hotel from this event?
5. Was there any communication barrier or challenges due to national diversity?
6. How did you represent your organization in this event?
7. How COVID-19 affect in catering?
8. Why big events like ‘Expo 2020 ‘are important for hospitality industry?
9. What was the health safety and security provided to the guest and hotel staff during
this event?

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 Time Plan
Feb Mar Apr May
Proposal
submission
Proposal
approval
First draft
submission
Second
draft
submission
Final draft
submission

Budget
As this research is not going to involve many cost but it will be have some expenses during
the research. The budget of this research is mention below:
Items Quantity Price
A4 size paper 500 pic. Rs.500
Pen 3 pic. Rs.60
Print Rs.1,500
Binding Rs.250
Transportation Rs.5,000
Total Rs.7310

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 References
https://www.google.com/search?
q=about+expo+2020&oq=ab&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j46i131i433i512j0i131i433j0i131i4
33i512j5l3.1776j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
https://writepass.com/journal/2017/02/the-impact-of-hosting-the-world-expo-2020-on-
dubais-future-economic-social-and-cultural-life/