Experience Switzerland up close – and in the middle of the desert. The World Expo in Dubai made this small miracle possible. The “Reflections” pavilion attracted many visitors, as the cubic building with a mirrored facade, a red carpet and the Swiss cross visible from afar stood out from other buildings. The path to the entrance was also lined with items typical of and unique to Switzerland, such as a tennis ball signed by Roger Federer, the ballot from a federal vote, or a Swiss pocket knife.

Inside, guests embarked on a sensual and inspiring journey. Thanks to interactive elements, they experienced important aspects of culture and nature and learned more about the innovative, sustainable and creative sides of Switzerland. One of the highlights was a hike through dense fog. Above the fog, which never completely lifted, a vast Alpine panorama and an emotional journey through Switzerland awaited visitors. Those who felt like it could explore the Lucerne region on a flying carpet or make their visit a little sweeter in the Sprüngli chocolate store.

1.7 million guests
Due to the pandemic, the World Expo in the United Arab Emirates had to be postponed by a year, and finally took place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The national tourism marketing organisation Switzerland Tourism ST had already confirmed its participation in the 2020 Expo in autumn 2013 and immediately started planning. Numerous partners supported the organisation or were on site and presented themselves in various forms: Lucerne Tourism, Titlis Bergbahnen, SWISS, Swiss Travel System, Interlaken Tourism, Jungfrau Region, Jungfrau Railways, Geneva Tourism, Vaud Promotion, Lugano Tourism and Ticino Turismo.

The aim of ST’s participation was to get people from all over the world excited about Switzerland as a travel destination. The Expo 2020 attracted 24 million visitors, and 1.7 million interested guests visited the Swiss Pavilion. Guests included 987 official delegations, 810 members of the royal family, 335 government representatives from the United Arab Emirates, and 90 prime ministers and governors from various countries. Another special feature of the pavilion was the rooftop terrace, where ST hosted unique events for VIPs, tour operators, media and local friends. Eight such events were held with a total of 750 guests.

Numerous media reported on the Swiss Pavilion, including htr hotelrevue, Bellevue NZZ, Swissinfo, Aargauer Zeitung and the Tagesschau of SRF 1.