Drawing from my experience as a B2B Matchmaker at the World Expo in Dubai, I share practical suggestions to enhance business engagement for Expo 2025 in Osaka.
World Expos, celebrated as the largest cultural gatherings, symbolize global unity and innovation. These grand events, unmatched in scale and diversity, captivate millions of visitors over extensive durations. For instance, the recent World Expo in Dubai, sprawling across 438 hectares, drew an impressive attendance of over 24 million people from October 2021 to March 2022. The economic impact of such Expos on both host nations and participants is monumental, often measured in billions of dollars.
As the B2B matchmaker for the Malaysian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, I gained firsthand insight into the vast potential these events offer to businesses large and small. This experience has equipped me with perspectives on which I believe could be of use to amplify the commercial benefits of Expo 2025 in Osaka and all future World Expos.
Below I listed several key findings that could be instrumental in increasing the business value of future Expo events for all stakeholders
1. Dedicated Floors for Business Meetings within Country Pavilions Pay-off Big Time.
In Expo 2020 Dubai, I observed that almost every country's pavilion had some space for business meetings. These ranged from a simple table and chairs to full meeting rooms. But, the countries that did really well in making business connections, like Malaysia, India, and Slovenia went a step further by dedicating entire floors to business networking.
This smart move yielded significant returns. I don’t have statistics for the other countries but MIDA -Malaysian Investment Development Authority- had announced in a press release on April 1st, 2022 that Malaysia achieved potential trade, investment and business projections worth more than RM70 billion (Over 15 Billion USD) during their Expo 2020 participation.
I believe, if more statistics and case-studies like this can be shared with the people planning the pavilions for future Expos, more countries might start setting up special floors for business networking. It's not just a nice thing to have; it's a smart business move that can lead to big deals and opportunities.
2. Better Coordination Between Pavilions Can Lead to More Business.
Many countries brought trade missions to Expo 2020. The Malaysian Pavilion, where I worked, was especially active, bringing a new trade mission every week. Other countries like Slovenia, Serbia, Malta, Australia, and India also brought their best companies.
Arranging hundreds of meetings for these delegations with Malaysian companies I thought that I was able to use the full potential of the event for my clients. But, after the Expo ended, I found out from a Dubai Chamber report that over 60 countries, including Germany, USA, Brazil, and Uruguay, had sent trade missions to Expo 2020 in Dubai. I didn't know about most of these missions while they were happening, so I couldn't set up meetings for them with my clients. If I had known their schedules in advance, I could have arranged valuable meetings, greatly increasing business opportunities for everyone.
There's another big reason to improve how pavilions talk to each other: timing. For example, I worked with an agricultural trade mission and struggled to get enough meetings. Just a week after they left, two other countries brought agriculture delegations. I was working with tourism by then and couldn't use the connections from these new delegations. If pavilion organizers had planned together and brought related industries at the same time, more opportunities could have been made with a lot less effort.
3. Cooperating with Chambers of Commerce and Trade Development Agencies may Greatly Amplify the Business Success of Country Pavilions
International and local chambers of commerce and trade development agecies hold immense potential for both organizers and participants of World Expos. Representing a wide array of business interests, these organizations are crucial in maximizing the business impact of such events.
For instance, after Expo 2020, Dubai Chambers reported that they organized 98 events attended by over 25,000 people. They also facilitated 1,500 meetings for more than 3,000 international visitors. This may look impressive, but considering the volume of business traffic at the Expo, I believe these numbers could have been much higher over 100,000 meetings in 6 months.
My opinion is that closer cooperation with local chambers of commerce can significantly enhance networking opportunities for country pavilions at Expo 2025 in Osaka. This cooperation should start with sharing detailed information about upcoming trade missions and business programs planned by the pavilions. By doing so, pavilions can tap into the extensive networks and resources of these chambers.
Furthermore, a deeper level of collaboration could involve pavilion organizers and chambers of commerce jointly determining the themes and contents of future trade delegations. Such collaborative planning can enrich the business scope of the event, creating more targeted and fruitful business interactions.
Enhancing Business Engagement at Expo 2025
In addition to the above strategies, there are several other areas where Expo 2025 can innovate to enhance business engagement:
Tailored Offers for Business Visitors: Developing specialized packages and offers for businesspeople and investors attending the Expo can make their visit more efficient and fruitful, encouraging higher levels of participation and investment.
Increased Visibility for Business Networking Events: Business-related events and applications within the Expo should be more prominently featured. Enhanced promotion can lead to greater participation and more fruitful networking opportunities.
Involvement of Sponsors in Business Networking: Encouraging Expo sponsors to take an active role in developing business networking opportunities may lead to more effective and high-profile networking events, leveraging their expertise and networks.
Uniform Performance Metrics: Establishing a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the success of business networking efforts across all country pavilions would help participating countries refine their business programs for future Expos and increase the overall appeal of these events to potential sponsors.
Implementing these suggestions could significantly improve the business dimension of World Expos, making them even more valuable platforms for international trade and investment.
A Strategic Proposal: Establishing a Business Networking Department for Expo 2025 Osaka
My humble opinion is, the establishment of a dedicated Business Networking Department within the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition could be a transformative step to actualize the improvements discussed for the EXPO 2025 in Osaka.
This department could serve as a central hub for coordinating and amplifying business-related activities across various pavilions. Its roles would include:
Facilitating Coordination Among Pavilions: By overseeing the business efforts of different country pavilions, the department can ensure a more cohesive and integrated approach to business networking, maximizing opportunities for meaningful interactions.
Liaising with Key Business Entities: Such a department would actively communicate with chambers of commerce and trade development agencies from all participating countries. This liaison role may prove crucial in harnessing the collective business potential and expertise that these organizations bring to the table.
Engaging with Current and Future Sponsors: The department can work closely with sponsors and potential sponsors, effectively conveying the business value generated by the event. This communication would surely enhance the event’s appeal and securing sustained sponsorship interest.
The establishment of such a department in Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition would be a pivotal step in ensuring that this grand event not only serve as a showcase of culture and innovation but also as powerful platform for global business development and collaboration.
I would feel a deep sense of accomplishment if the observations and suggestions presented in this article contribute to the success of such a department, ultimately aiding in the triumph of Expo 2025 Osaka and the prosperity it can bring to Osaka and Japan.
the most important and ignored aspect is that after all the B2B meetings a proper and structured follow up process needs to be applied for the next 3 to 4 months, else most of the efforts are drained out.