The city has 365 days to finalise its plans for its presence at the World Expo in 2010. Alex Turner reports on its progress
MAY 1, 2010, is the day that Liverpool will start a sales pitch that will last for six months and could generate up to £50m in the next 10 years.
Exactly one year today, the city will welcome the first of an estimated 1m visitors to its pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.
It is targeting its message at potential tourists, students, businessmen and investors to showcase the attractions of the city and the North West region.
Liverpool is already two years into its planning for the event, which will be four times bigger than the previous World Expo in Japan, with 70m visitors expected to attend.
Liverpool’s director of operations for the Expo, Phil Southward, and Liverpool City Council’s chief executive, Colin Hilton, have just returned from Shanghai where they saw how the construction work was progressing.
Mr Southward said: “Only when you see the sheer scale of the site do you realise what an amazing event the Expo is going to be. The construction schedule is on target, and the Chinese authorities are determined to build an event which will be uniquely memorable.”
He met representatives from the Expo Bureau and the British authorities to discuss operational details such as the technical build requirements for the pavilion, accommodation for Expo attendees and staffing, as he prepares to welcome 6,000 visitors a day to the Liverpool pavilion.
An independent report by consultants Scott Wilson has set out the rewards Liverpool and the region can expect from its presence at the Expo.
Increases have been forecast in the number of Chinese tourists and students, as well as a rise in exports and additional inward investment.
The report sets out “relatively conservative” forecasts – such as an additional 100 students a year from 2013 and a 0.25% increase in annual regional exports from 2012, peaking after four years – which it forecasts will generate benefits of £5.5m.
However it goes on to say that “using an upside scenario it is possible the benefit or gross value added (GVA) could range between £15.6m to £47.5m” in the 10 years following the Expo.
Liverpool will exhibit in the Urban Best Practice Pavilion, promoting how Liverpool as a modern, leading city has developed and prospered while conserving its rich history as a World Heritage site.
The city will be placed near Cairo, Venice and Chinese garden cities Hangzhou and Suzhou, which are expected to be a big draw for visitors.
Liverpool’s pavilion will be split into a show area, an exhibition area and a marketing suite with meeting rooms which will focus on the different target audiences.
It will have six different themes which will change each month and will include culture and sport, the knowledge sector and professional services.
