Report on Canada’s Participation in Expo 2020 Dubai (U.A.E.)
FINAL REPORT
Prepared for Global Affairs Canada
Supplier: Leger Marketing Inc.
Contract Number: 08A33-210095/001/CY
Contract Value: $123,413.70 (including HST)
Award Date: 2021-12-15
Delivery Date: 2022-09-15
Registration Number: POR 066-21
For more information on this report, please contact Global Affairs Canada at:
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français
Report on Canada’s Participation in Expo 2020 Dubai (U.A.E.)
Final report
Prepared for Global Affairs Canada
Supplier name: Leger Marketing Inc.
October 10, 2022
This report, conducted by Léger Marketing Inc. for Global Affairs Canada, provides a comprehensive evaluation of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The evaluation was conducted between February and April 2022. Along with the evaluation, the report provides information designed to assist in planning Canada’s participation in future Expos. A portion of this evaluation consisted of a public opinion research conducted with an intercept face-to-face survey of on-site visitors (conducted by Leger Marketing Inc. and its United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) partner, Think Positive), interviews with key informants and on-site observation. The quantitative research study surveyed 1,502 visitors to the Canada Pavilion at the World Exposition site in Dubai between February 12 and March 25, 2022. The report also presents results of interviews with 43 key informants. Key informant interviews were conducted between March 21 and April 28, 2022. The report also includes observations that were made by a senior researcher on-site at Expo 2020 Dubai between March 16 and March 26, 2022. Finally, the report includes data that was collected at the Canada Pavilion by the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team and by the Expo 2020 Dubai organizers.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Rapport sur la participation du Canada ŕ l’Expo 2020 Dubaď (ÉAU).
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Global Affairs Canada. For more information on this report, please contact: POR-ROP@international.gc.ca
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Catalogue number:
FR5-189/2022E-PDF
International Standard Book Number
(ISBN):
978-0-660-44075-0
Related publications (registration number: POR 066-21)
Catalogue number: FR5-189/2022F-PDF
ISBN 978-0-660-44076-7
© His Majesty the King in right of Canada, as represented by Global Affairs Canada, 2022.
Table of Contents
Report on Canada’s Participation in Expo 2020 Dubai (U.A.E.).
1.5 Notes on interpretation of research findings
1.7 Political neutrality statement and contact information
2.5 Roles and responsibilities
2.9 Cultural and public affairs programming.
A.1.1 Quantitative methodology
A.2 Face-to-face intercept survey results
A.3 Survey questionnaire in English and Arabic
Executive summary
Leger is pleased to present Global Affairs Canada with this comprehensive report intended to provide an evaluation of Canada’s Expo 2020 Dubai participation and information designed to assist in planning Canada’s participation in future Expos. A portion of this evaluation consisted of a public opinion research conducted with an intercept face-to-face survey of on-site visitors (conducted by Leger Marketing Inc. and its United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) partner, Think Positive), interviews with key informants and on-site observation. This report was prepared by Leger Marketing Inc., which was contracted by Global Affairs Canada (contract number 08A33-210095/001/CY awarded December 15, 2021).
1.1 Background and objectives
Global Affairs Canada (GAC), on behalf of the Government of Canada, had the mandate to plan, coordinate and implement Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai in the U.A.E. After a 1-year postponement due to COVID 19, Expo 2020 Dubai opened on October 1, 2021, and continued for 6 months to March 31, 2022.
International expositions provide an ideal venue where Canada can share, promote and celebrate its story on issues relating to the theme and sub-themes of the exposition. The theme for Canada’s participation was “The Future in Mind.”
This international event offered Canada an unparalleled platform to promote opportunities from across Canada’s provinces, territories and cities and throughout all sectors of Canadian society.
Canada’s overarching objectives for participation at Expo 2020 Dubai were to:
· increase awareness and knowledge of Canada’s culture
· diversify its international markets
· attract foreign investment
· promote Canadian innovation, tourism and international education to build support for Canadian initiatives and values on the world stage (such as its leadership in promoting gender equality)
· garner support for Canadian priorities (e.g. social responsibility)
· deepen its relationship with the U.A.E. and other countries in the region
Canada’s overall participation at Expo 2020 Dubai consisted of the following components:
· Canada Pavilion. The main component of the Pavilion was the public presentation area, which provided the thematic visitor experience
· Cultural and complementary program. Canada showcased a range of innovative and artistic activities showcasing Canada’s arts and cultural sectors
· Commercial program. A VIP area within the Canada Pavilion supported the delivery of the business and public affairs programs
Research objectives
The aim of this report is to provide an assessment of achievements against objectives, with recommendations for Canada’s participation in future events of this nature.
To achieve the objectives outlined previously, the design of the research included both qualitative (interviews with key informants) and quantitative (intercept face-to-face surveys with visitors) components and relied on factual data (collected on-site or by Expo 2020 Dubai organizers) as well as on-site visits (on-site observation).
1.2 Methodology
The report on Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai included the following methods of study:
· direct observation during a 12-day field mission to Expo 2020 Dubai in March 2022
o a researcher visited the Canada Pavilion and other pavilions and facilities at Expo 2020 Dubai to gather information and make observations, in support of the report
· on-site, face-to-face intercept survey with Canada Pavilion visitors
o the survey was conducted by a team of interviewers from our research partner in Dubai (Think Positive)
o data collection took place over a 40-day period between February 12, 2022, and March 25, 2022
o a total of 1,502 Pavilion visitors were intercepted at the Canada Pavilion site after their visit to complete the survey
· approximately 40 key informant interviews were conducted as part of the evaluation
o all of these interviews took place over a 2-month period between March and April 2022; half of the interviews took place in Dubai during the direct observation mission
· an analysis of factual data provided by the organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai and the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team to provide context for this study
A full methodology is available in the appendix to this report.
The appendix also includes the detailed results of the survey that was conducted on site at Expo 2020 Dubai with visitors of the Canada Pavilion.
1.3 Overview of findings
· Data collected from the Canada Pavilion visitor survey and key informant interviews suggest that Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai was mostly successful
· Canada was successful in reaching the targets it had set for the event. A large majority of the visitors to the Pavilion were from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia regions and were, for the most part, under the age of 35
· Survey data indicates that a large portion of visitors left the Pavilion with a positive perception of their experience and an increased interest in doing business, investing and studying in or visiting Canada. Most survey respondents also indicated that their visit to the Pavilion increased their interest in Canada’s culture and cultural productions.
· The Canada Pavilion visitor experience had an impact on visitors’ perception that Canada is a country that is respectful of diversity, has progressive human rights values and is innovative. Survey respondents were overwhelmingly inclined to say that their perception of Canada in these respects had improved following their visit.
· Results suggest that Canada was able to deliver its messages to different target audiences, although the high volume of different messages being delivered might have diluted their respective impact.
· Protocol, cultural and commercial programs each achieved an interesting level of success, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic context in which Expo 2020 Dubai was held.
· The evidence shows that the GAC team and mission were able to fulfill the goal of securing the presence of a high number of VIPs to the Canada Pavilion, including visits from U.A.E. government officials and several other foreign delegations. Canada’s missions in the U.A.E. also hosted a series of business and networking events for the benefit of Canadian companies in many industry sectors. Through its cultural program, Canada has also been able to showcase many Canadian artists to new, international audiences.
· Feedback from the interviews indicated that the fruits of Canada’s actions in Dubai might not reach their full potential within the upcoming few months or years, but rather on a longer-term horizon. Even if many interviewees were reluctant to say whether Canada had achieved its specific objectives, most informants were positive and believed that Canada would benefit from its participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
1.4 Intended use of research
The report allows Global Affairs Canada to assess the performance of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai and provide recommendations for improving Canada’s participation in future events.
1.5 Notes on interpretation of research findings
The views and observations expressed in this document do not reflect those of Global Affairs Canada. This report was compiled by Leger Marketing Inc. based on the research conducted specifically for this project. This research is not probabilistic; the results cannot be inferred to the general population of visitors of the Canada Pavilion.
Since a sample of visitors who volunteered to participate in the surveys is not probabilistic in nature, margins of sampling error cannot be calculated for this survey. The results of such surveys cannot be described as statistically projectable to the target population. The results are directional in nature. The data have not been weighted in any way to reflect the demographic composition of the population of visitors at the Canada Pavilion.
Qualitative research is designed to reveal a rich range of opinions and interpretations rather than to measure what percentage of the target population holds a given opinion. Findings from in-depth interviews with key informants must not be used to estimate the numeric proportion or number of individuals in the population who hold a particular opinion because they are not statistically projectable.
This evaluation was finalized a few months after the end of Expo 2020 Dubai. Therefore, it was not possible to examine the impacts of Expo 2020 Dubai that are expected in the mid or long term. The survey and interviews focused on examining plausible effects, i.e. whether the visit to the Canada Pavilion reinforced or weakened any previously held beliefs about Canada. Since there is no available data on the perception of Canada in the U.A.E. prior to Expo 2020 Dubai, and no data collected after Expo 2020 Dubai, there is no way to compare whether Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai will have had a lasting impact on the general U.A.E. population. Survey results and interview insights should not be taken as a definitive assessment of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai. We assume that the effects of this participation will be felt in Canada for months and even years to come.
1.6 Contract value
The contract value for this study was $123,413.70 (including HST).
1.7 Political neutrality statement and contact information
Leger certifies that the final deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada’s political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed:
Christian Bourque, Senior Researcher; Léger
Detailed results
2.1 Expo 2020 Dubai
Since the first International Exhibition in London in 1851, World Expos have been a valuable platform for participating nations to showcase technological advances and innovations, promote trade, and showcase their historical and cultural heritage. Expos are large-scale events both in terms of scope (millions of visitors) and duration (for up to 6 months). Held every 5 years and with billions of people having visited at least 1 in their lifetime, World Expos have unparalleled appeal and outreach.
Expo 2020 Dubai was the first World Exhibition to be held in the greater Middle East and North Africa region (MENA region). The theme of this World’s Fair, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” implied that the global nature of the challenges of today’s world call for common solutions and collaboration across geographic, national, cultural and institutional boundaries. Expo 2020 Dubai’s visitors were invited to explore various possibilities for a different future, in line with the event’s 3 sub-themes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
The United Arab Emirates and the city of Dubai had extremely ambitious goals and expectations for Expo 2020 Dubai. As Dubai is an international transit hub and more than 200 nationalities comingle in the city on a daily basis, the organizers of Expo 2020 Dubai were expecting an exceptional turnout in terms of the number of visitors and participating countries.
Originally scheduled to take place between October 2020 and April 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai saw its timetable disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The constraints on international travel and the logistical challenges of hosting such a large-scale event during a pandemic meant that Expo 2020 Dubai had to be delayed; it thus officially began in the fall of 2021.
From October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai welcomed 24,102,967 visitors from around the world to its venue, with 1 out of 3 visitors coming from abroad (more precisely from 178 different countries) A total of 192 countries participated in Expo 2020 Dubai and had a pavilion open to visitors. Moreover, Expo 2020 Dubai’s virtual platform allowed live streaming and virtual tours for remote visitors, with approximately 250 million visitors attending via virtual tours.
During the 6 months that Expo 2020 Dubai lasted, approximately 16,000 government representatives, including heads of state, presidents, prime ministers and ministers, visited the Expo. More than 1 million students and academics participated in Expo 2020 through specific programs. More than 35,000 events of various kinds (entertainment, arts, business conferences, parades, sports, creative workshops) took place during the 6 months of Expo 2020 Dubai, and 195 national days and honour days were celebrated there.
2.2 Canada’s participation
Canada has a long history of participation in World Expos. Except for the 2015 edition in Milan, Canada has had a sustained participation in all World Expos since the first edition held in London. In addition to its participation, Canada hosted 2 World Expos: the 1967 edition in Montréal, and a specialized exhibition in Vancouver in 1986. Discussions for Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai began in 2018, and its participation was officially announced on January 25, 2019. A total budget of approximately $40 million was allocated for Canada’s entire participation, including the design, construction and operational costs of its Pavilion. Global Affairs Canada was designated lead of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
“The Future in Mind” was the theme around which the Canada Pavilion’s experience was conceived. The theme built on Canada’s strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, human rights and gender equality as the foundation for building a prosperous and inclusive nation that is innovative and capable of providing effective solutions to global challenges.
Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai offered the following combination of experiences and program elements:
· a public visitor experience consisting of several elements:
o the interactive TRACES exhibition in the welcoming area outside the Pavilion aimed to induce reflection on sustainable development
o the main attraction, located inside the Pavilion, was a 360-degree theatre show on diversity, innovation, and Canada’s four seasons
o near the Pavilion’s exit, the “Present in the Future” post-show focused on the presence of technology in everyday life
o finally, as visitors exited the Pavilion, they were treated to a rotating photo exhibit
· an executive and administrative work area designed for the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai teams, operations management and hosts
· a VIP area with a lounge designed to host private meetings and conference rooms to support the business and complementary programs
· protocol and culinary programs to support special events and visits by Canadian and foreign VIPs, including Canadian dignitaries and delegations
· cultural and public affairs programs to support delegations of visiting artists and performers and prepare Canada’s involvement in events and themed initiatives organized by Expo 2020 Dubai
· a commercial program to support initiatives aimed at promoting business between Canada and the United Arab Emirates and other countries of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region
· a communications team to manage the Canada Pavilion’s social media channels, website and all media relations (e.g. interviews and mentions in local and international articles)
2.3 Objectives
Specific strategic objectives were tied to the broader “The Future in Mind” theme put forward by Canada at Expo 2020 Dubai. Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai had the following strategic objectives:
- promoting Canada’s brand and opportunities for trade, foreign investment, education and tourism
- showcasing Canada’s leadership in sustainability and innovation
- promoting Canada’s progressive values of democracy, gender equality, diversity and human rights
- promoting Canadian culture and cultural products
To achieve its overall objectives, Canada focused primarily on the following audiences:
- North African, Arabic and Southeast Asian (MENASA) audiences
- youth aged 15 to 30 (potential future decision makers and sources for tourism, education, immigration and innovation)
- given that 60% of the population has not yet reached the age of 30 in the MENASA region, this demographic will be of critical importance for at least the next 2 decades
- U.A.E. government and leaders
- other heads of state and/or heads of government
- CEOs and senior business leaders, thought leaders and experts in various fields
- large-scale investors from the Gulf region, India and China
- Arabic and international media
2.4 COVID-19 context
Expo 2020 Dubai was hit by the global uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Many aspects of Expo 2020 Dubai were impacted by the pandemic, including the event’s schedule, operations, employee recruitment, visitor attendance and international delegations’ attendance. While originally scheduled for 2020, Expo 2020 Dubai was delayed by 1 year due to these circumstances. The pandemic situation forced the Expo 2020 Dubai organizers to implement mitigation measures to ensure the safety of visitors and employees at its venue. Proof of full vaccination or a negative PCR test was required to access the site. In addition to general health measures, many pavilions implemented measures to ensure the safety and comfort of visitors: mandatory face masks indoors, control of the number of visitors at any one time, and PCR testing for employees were some of the measures implemented by many pavilions. Additionally, the limitations imposed by many countries on international travel had an important impact on the number of international visitors who attended Expo 2020 Dubai.
That context had a direct impact on Canada Pavilion activities and the ability of the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team to plan events in advance. As an example, Canada’s National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai, originally scheduled for January 2022, had to be rescheduled to March 19, 2022. Concerns about COVID-19 forced organizers to close certain sections of Expo 2020 Dubai between late December and mid-February. It was not until February 21, approximately 1 month before the end of Expo 2020 Dubai, that on-site measures were significantly reduced, including at the Canada Pavilion, allowing activities to resume.
Most key informants indicated that despite the restrictions related to COVID-19 and their impact on Expo 2020 Dubai, Canada’s participation can be considered a success. The GAC lead, Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team members and other staff members dealt with significant scheduling changes, backlogs and delays in the delivery of materials, as well as constraints related to the participation of businesspeople, official delegations, artists and other visitors. The Pavilion team had to operate in a context of uncertainty that forced the team leaders to be creative and flexible to deliver an experience that met the expectations of visitors and VIP audiences. Many key informants agreed that Canada was successful in meeting its objectives as best it could, given the circumstances.
Recommendations
While participation in a World Exhibition requires careful planning and programming, the pandemic context of 2021 to 2022 required significant adjustments, adaptation and flexibility that ultimately proved beneficial in some respects to Canada’s participation. For future expos, GAC should ensure that it maintains a certain flexibility in its programming, which will allow Canada to better deal with the uncertainty of changing contexts but also to seize opportunities that arise during the event.
2.5 Roles and responsibilities
Global Affairs Canada, on behalf of the Government of Canada, was mandated to plan, coordinate and implement Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). To support its participation, GAC had a series of programs in place: a protocol and culinary program, a cultural and public affairs program, a commercial program and a communications program.
GAC leadership team
A commissioner general (CG) was appointed to serve as head of the GAC leadership team in Dubai. The CG was assisted by a deputy commissioner general, a Pavilion director, and a chief of staff. The leadership team was responsible for the planning and execution of the program for Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. The leadership team reported directly to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Issues and Development, and the Deputy Minister, International Trade, who was responsible for Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
Team structure
Under the authority of the CG, 21 Canadian-based employees were divided into 3 groups: Office of the Commissioner General, Pavilion Operations, and Public Affairs and Programming. Additional resources to support other required services such as accommodation, protocol, administration, maintenance and cleaning, communications, public affairs and security were contracted locally. The Canadian missions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi provided support for the planning and execution of the program, including acting as commercial program manager.
Several other stakeholders were consulted and/or involved, including other federal departments and agencies, as well as key private sector suppliers, both Canadian and from the U.A.E., to provide specific design, development and/or operational activities in support of Canada’s participation.
Collaboration/participation of other government departments
Other federal departments and agencies supporting Canada’s participation at the Expo included:
- the National Film Board of Canada, for the delivery of the TRACES Exhibit and the Pavilion’s interactive web experience
- the National Arts Centre, for the delivery of a performing arts cultural program
- Invest in Canada, as the signature sponsor
- Public Services and Procurement Canada, in support of contract management for the design/build of the Canada Pavilion
- Parks Canada and Ingenium, as partners in the delivery of an outdoor rotating photo exhibit
Private sector contracting
Key contracts included those with EllisDon Construction Ltd. for the Pavilion design and build, and the public presentation (visitor experience), as well as with Barker Langham for recruitment (protocol, hosting, culinary, drivers) and Mojo for media relations.
Local contracts with Transguard, Etisalat and EFS Facilities Services provided security, IT and cleaning services during operations and over the course of the Expo. GAC engaged with several other local companies through low-value contracts to support various programming activities.
For accommodations services for Canadian-based staff, GAC entered into contract with the organizer for space at the Expo Village, with a nearby chain hotel (Marriott) and with a property manager (Blueground).
Expo organizer
As host, the Expo organizer supported Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai from the design and building of the Canada Pavilion to the programming of events and activities—e.g. Canada’s National Day—both on the Canada site and at various Expo venues. Typically, GAC communication and coordination with the Expo organizer was through their “one-stop-shop,” which included regular liaisons with Canada’s designated country manager.
Key informants identified a few obstacles in creating a dedicated team for Expo 2020 Dubai. Owing to delays and changes to the original event schedule due to the pandemic, leadership of the Expo 2020 Dubai team changed several times before the final leadership team was put in place in 2021. A few informants reported that these changes may have slowed down the development and planning of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
The fact that GAC managed the Expo 2020 Dubai project—rather than Canadian Heritage, as had been the case with past Expos—meant that, at the beginning of the project, the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team, and the department, did not have significant experience with this type of exhibition. This lack of experience had a negative impact on the team’s cohesion and was felt during Expo 2020 Dubai’s planning phase and early days. That said, several employees with Expo experience from other departments were integrated into the team early on. Once the broader team gained experience, it was able to grasp the opportunities that this type of exhibition could create for Canada.
The collective knowledge developed by the team is an asset that should be preserved and built upon, as it ensures the smooth and efficient functioning of an organization in its practices and decision making. When organizing the next World's Fairs, this knowledge can be taken into account. Planning and decisions tend to be more effective if they are based on an organization’s past experiences.
Regarding the workforce, interviews with some of the GAC Pavilion staff indicated that employing more local staff rather than bringing in employees from Canada would have allowed the leadership team to have more flexibility to manage human and financial resources, while also improving the whole team’s possibilities to learn key aspects of local customs and practices.
Recommendations
Canada should make greater use of local talents rather than using employees brought in from Canada. This will help make better use of human and financial resources and give the project management team more flexibility while benefiting from key knowledge of local customs and practices.
2.6 Procurement mechanisms
To have more options for selection and negotiation with private partners, GAC has implemented a series of competitive bidding processes. Major contracts were awarded through an open competitive process via the Government of Canada’s tendering system, either in partnership with Public Services and Procurement Canada or through GAC contracts. In addition to open competitive bidding on the Government of Canada tendering system, targeted competitive bidding processes were conducted to award certain contracts. Finally, contracts were awarded directly when only a single supplier was available.
The contracts with EllisDon, Barker Langham Recruitment and G Creative for the design-build of the pavilion, recruitment and the National Day cultural program were awarded through an open competitive process. The process was terminated by GAC in December 2021 due to challenges posed by ongoing travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
For hosting uniforms, security and cleaning services, GAC entered into contractual agreements with Bustle Clothing, Transguard, and EFS Clean following a targeted bidding process. For IT services with Etisalat and for utilities (power, water) with DEWA, contracts were sole-sourced as they were the only suppliers available. A contract with WSP for the Greening of Operations Report was entered into under a standing offer agreement managed by PSPC. Except for the Expo Village, most accommodations were subject to a targeted bidding process.
Through a targeted and competitive bidding process that included 4 local Dubai-based public relations firms, GAC identified and secured Mojo PR for media relations and general communications support.
Delivery partners’ overall opinion of the Canada Pavilion was very positive. Most of them had nothing negative to say when interviewed about the procurement process. They had a very good experience, and most of them were eager to collaborate again for future expos. Some key informants also indicated that they benefited from their participation and presence at the expo site by meeting with stakeholders, making contacts and holding meetings (some of which were held at the Canada Pavilion’s VIP section).
2.7 Visitor experience
The visitor experience at the Canada Pavilion began in the main entrance area. An outdoor pre-show was presented, which consisted of an interactive conceptual work entitled TRACES, produced by the NFB. Inside the Pavilion, a 360-degree-screen video presentation on diversity and innovation, and based on Canada’s 4 seasons, formed the core of the Pavilion experience. In the exit hall, the post-show prepared by Montréal-based studio Iregular led visitors to reflect on the presence of technology in their daily lives. Finally, outside the Pavilion’s exit space, visitors could linger and enjoy a photography exhibit that changed approximately once a month. It should be noted that that original visitor experience included a pre-show area (detailed below) that was included as part of the EllisDon contract for the public presentation. Following mixed feedback from visitors and staff in the early months, it was determined that this space could be repurposed for a more effective visitor experience (see post-show, below).
As of March 31, 2022, 668,555 people had visited the Canada Pavilion, representing 3% of Expo 2020 Dubai’s total attendance. Average attendance at the Canada Pavilion site was relatively moderate during the first months of October to January, with fewer than 3,000 visits per day. The impact of the pandemic and of resulting limitations on international travel had a deterrent effect on visits to the Pavilion and to Expo 2020 Dubai as a whole. The number of visitors increased in February—with an average of more than 4,000 visitors per day—and in March, with an average of more than 6,000 visitors per day. The Pavilion also hosted school visits. Between December 2021 and March 2022, the Canada Pavilion hosted more than 7,009 visitors (including students and accompanying adults) on school visits.
Visitors who were asked to answer the survey were mainly from India (23%), the Philippines (17%) and the U.A.E. (8%). Visitors from the larger MENA region represented 17% of visitors intercepted at the Pavilion, while Canadians represented 6% of respondents.
Nearly 6 out of 10 visitors intercepted (59%) were under the age of 35, while the rest (39%) were 35 and older. The profile of the survey respondents, while not projectable to the actual overall visitors to the Canada Pavilion, suggests that Canada was able to reach some of its primary targets: significant proportions of younger visitors, visitors from the MENA region, and visitors from Asia as a whole.
The survey results indicate that the visitor experience at the Canada Pavilion generated a high level of satisfaction. More than 8 out of 10 visitors (82%) said they were satisfied with their experience. Fewer than 1 in 5 visitors (15%) indicated that they were not satisfied with their visit. Visitors from the United Arab Emirates (83%) and from other countries (84%) were more likely than visitors from Canada (46%) to be satisfied by their experience at the Pavilion. More than 9 out of 10 respondents indicated that their opinion of Canada either improved (48%) or stayed the same (45%) after their visit.
Spontaneously, just under 1 survey respondent out of 10 (9%) indicated that their main motivation for visiting the Canada Pavilion was to learn more about Canada; a slightly higher percentage (13%) said they were drawn by the general attractiveness of Canada. The desire to visit all the pavilions was also a very important source of motivation for many Expo 2020 Dubai visitors (42%). No survey respondents spontaneously mentioned that they were influenced to visit the Canada Pavilion because of its website.
Approximately 9 out of 10 respondents indicated that their visit to the Canada Pavilion improved their perception of Canada as a country that is respectful of diversity (91%).
More than 8 out of 10 respondents (84%) indicated that their interest in visiting Canada in the next 3 years had increased because of their experience at the Pavilion. About 8 out of 10 respondents from the U.A.E. (82%) and from other countries (84%) expressed an increased level of interest in travelling to Canada for a vacation.
Survey results indicated that most respondents (81%) found that their visit increased their interest in Canadian culture. More than 8 respondents out of 10 from the U.A.E. (82%) and from other countries (82%) expressed the same increased level of interest about Canadian culture.
Half of respondents indicated in their survey answers that their experience at the Canada Pavilion had a positive effect on their intention to do business with Canada (49%) and to invest in Canada (48%).
Almost half of respondents (48%) indicated that they had an increased interest in investing in Canada after their visit. This proportion was 50% for visitors from the U.A.E. and 46% for other international visitors.
Almost half of the survey respondents (47%) expressed an increased interest in the possibility of studying in Canada. That increased interest is significantly higher among youth (52%). Half of the visitors from the U.A.E. (50%) and about half of the other international visitors (45%) indicated an increased interest in the possibility of studying in Canada after their visit at the Pavilion.
Survey respondents spontaneously mentioned that the 360-degree theatre show (29%) was one of the Pavilion experiences they most liked, followed by the Pavilion’s architecture and design (20%) and the shows and entertainment (14%).
Some aspects of the Canada Pavilion experience were less appreciated by the respondents. A few respondents felt that the Pavilion was too small or too crowded (13%), that not enough information was provided about Canada and its culture (6%), that there was not enough entertainment, that there were too few activities or not much to see at the Pavilion, or that the show was too short (6%).
The fact that some respondents were dissatisfied with the lack of available information about Canada and Canadian culture was also corroborated by several interviews conducted with Pavilion staff members. These interviews revealed that hosting staff would have found it desirable to be given access to training and information to share with visitors about tourism, education, immigration, culture and lifestyle in Canada.
Pavilion design and layout
The design of the Canada Pavilion was inspired by several sources, both Canadian and Arabic. The Pavilion’s circular shape was meant to be a symbol of unity, while the wooden latticework that crowned the Pavilion was inspired by the mashrabiya, a traditional element of Arabic architecture. These elements served as a bridge between the 2 cultures. The geometry of the latticework was inspired by the Trans-Canada Highway. The Toronto-based architectural firm Moriyama & Teshima mapped the elevation of the famous highway that crosses the country and incorporated the elevation elements to create a transversal cut of the Canadian landscape. The “Canada” signature on the front of the Pavilion was also a winning element for many informants—crowds of visitors wanted to have their picture taken next to it. It was a successful element for the Canada brand.
The hosting team consisted of 21 individuals. They were Canadians who were engaged locally in Dubai and worked on the Pavilion site in rotating teams of 7 on a daily basis, from opening to closing. Their responsibilities were to manage the arrival, queues and flow of visitors into the Pavilion and answer questions.
The survey results showed the positive impact that the Pavilion’s architecture and exterior design had on the visitors’ experience. It was also one of the reasons a few visitors spontaneously mentioned why they came to visit the Canada Pavilion (4%). A few survey respondents (2%) also spontaneously mentioned that the hospitality and assistance provided by the hosting staff were the most satisfying elements of their experience at the Canada Pavilion.
In the interviews, a few key informants stated that the Pavilion’s interior spaces could have been designed differently to allow for a better flow of visitors. They also thought that the available spaces in the Pavilion should have been streamlined and organized to help alleviate some visitors’ feelings of being too crowded. In the future, streamlining spaces allocated to the different sections (public, VIP, administration) could improve and enhance the overall visitor experience.
Recommendations
The design of future pavilions should consider the flow of visitors, in accordance with the experience that is desired to be shared. The design should aim at ensuring a smooth flow of visitors through the different sections of the exhibit, whether they are waiting, moving or standing still, while avoiding the perception of an overcrowded Pavilion.
Art collection
The artworks displayed at the Canada Pavilion were part of Global Affairs Canada’s Visual Arts Collection and were managed by the Visual Arts Program. The artwork was exhibited in the reception, executive offices, executive conference room and main corridor of the Pavilion’s VIP section. Leaders and influencers of the U.A.E. government, major investors from the Gulf region and internationally, and other businesspeople had access to the artwork.
The objective of the art exhibition was to present a culturally rich and diverse image of Canada by promoting and showcasing the best of contemporary Canadian art in the missions’ representative spaces. Throughout the Pavilion, the collection of contemporary artworks featured Canadian artists from different parts of Canada and from diverse cultural backgrounds. The works selected were intended to demonstrate a variety of artistic practices that addressed today’s challenges and promoted a more collaborative and sustainable future.
According to some informants, the art exhibition was a success as it highlighted emerging artists and promoted their work to an international audience to which they might otherwise not have had access to. Some informants also indicated that they would have appreciated seeing more artworks from Canadian artists exhibited during Expo 2020 Dubai and displayed to a broader audience.
Recommendations
At future World Expos, more artworks from Canadian artists should be displayed throughout the Canada Pavilion. To ensure maximum visibility for artists, artworks should also be displayed to a wider public than only VIP groups.
‘TRACES’
Outside of the Canada Pavilion, in the queue area, the visitor experience began with “TRACES”, an outdoor installation produced by the NFB in collaboration with KANVA, Creos and artist Étienne Paquette. This artistic creation was intended to raise awareness about climate change, global warming, the loss of biodiversity and the urgency of global environmental action—a key message from Canada as a player capable of playing a leading role in addressing today’s global challenges.
The entire artwork included both sound and light elements and consisted of 8 interactive boxes, as well as a mural in the main lobby. The 8 boxes offered a complementary experience to visitors, reminding them of the fragility of biodiversity, the probable disappearance of certain species and of their habitats, individual and collective responsibility for their protection, and the necessary awareness that must be raised to address these issues. In addition to these boxes, “TRACES” also included a large mural located directly in the entrance hall leading to the Pavilion, where people were lining up.
The survey results revealed that 3% of respondents spontaneously mentioned the “TRACES” exhibit as the element they most liked of their experience at the Canada Pavilion.
Several key informants expressed mixed feelings about “TRACES.” They perceived the exhibition as audacious, powerful, and conveying a strong message about sustainable development—in line with Canada’s key message at Expo 2020 Dubai. In contrast, they pointed out the complexity of the work as perhaps too conceptual or intellectual for some Expo visitors. Few visitors took the time to stop, watch, listen, read, reflect and understand all the elements constituting the “TRACES” exhibition. On-site observation also supports that perception. Some interviewees revealed that “TRACES” would have benefited from being better included in the flow of the Pavilion’s visit. Support from a presenter or a guide could also have helped visitors to better understand and appreciate “TRACES.”
Recommendations
The positioning of an exhibition such as “TRACES” on a Pavilion site should be considered carefully in order to be adequately included on the visitor path. In addition to a strategic positioning, such exhibitions should be provided with an improved explanatory context to ensure that the public is able to properly engage with the work and its message.
Sound and light show (original pre-show)
At the entrance, a 5-minute immersive and interactive experience at the threshold between the plaza and theatre was meant to build anticipation for the main theatre show. That experience was in direct continuation of the “TRACES” exhibition outside the Pavilion, as visitors had to activate the murmuration of birds by interacting with beams of light. This was a collaborative experience, as the combined actions of all visitors created distinct experiences based on their collective interactions and aimed to demonstrate the power of diversity and collective action to change the world.
Visitors were welcomed into a cool and dark space featuring a screen and 42 still, vertical and translucent white light beams. When a visitor activated a light beam, the beam changed colour and generated a flock of birds of the same colour onto the screen. A localized sound from the forest was heard at the moment of interaction in response to the activation of the light beam. Continued activation of beams by the visitors created a collaborative transformation of the space, building up the intensity of birds released. At the moment of peak interaction, the audio filled the room with a chorus of diverse forest sounds. 360-degree theatre show
The heart of the visitor experience at the Canada Pavilion was an immersive, 360-degree presentation showcasing Canada’s geographic and cultural diversity and featuring Canada as an ideal place for business, investment, education, tourism and immigration. The show highlighted the links between Canada’s natural beauty and resources, the power of Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and the diversity and dynamism of Canada’s urban centres—engines of creativity, innovation and prosperity.
The show took visitors through 4 seasons, each conveying a separate theme. Together, they told Canada’s story and demonstrated its creative ability to solve problems in partnership with the global community using cutting-edge technology.
The results of the on-site survey indicated that the theatre show was quite successful with visitors. Nearly one-third (29%) of those surveyed at the Canada Pavilion site indicated that the 360-degree theatre show was the element they most liked about their visit. Only a minority of respondents indicated that they did not enjoy the video (5%) or the music that accompanied the 360-degree theatre show experience (3%).
Interviews with many informants indicated that the 360-degree theatre show might have appealed to even more visitors had they been offered more explanatory content and context to help them understand the images and intentions behind the production—such as narrative or textual support. Also, adding an interactive dimension between visitors and the show could have further engaged audiences.
Recommendations
The use of narrative and text-based elements should be enhanced to provide all visitors with the opportunity to fully understand the content being presented. Interaction between visitors and the presented content should also be improved to ensure maximum audience engagement.
‘Present in the Future’ post-show (from January 2022)
The 360-degree journey was followed by an installation entitled “Present in the Future,” which focused on the predominance of technology, our growing dependence on it, and the way it collectively and personally influences our everyday decisions. The installation was created by the Montréal-based studio Iregular. The exhibition featured two studio pieces, “FORWARD” and “OMNIPRESENCE.” These exhibitions touched on very contemporary themes: the dominance of technology, and the consequences of our daily decisions on a personal and global scale.
The work invited visitors to move around an infinite digital mirror that constantly multiplied their reflection thanks to video feedback. Software modified some of the properties of the image returned to visitors by distorting the perception of time and space: upside-down images, delayed projections, reverse recordings or simply real, unaltered reflections—the body images reflected in the infinity lost their symmetry and seemed to move at will, disconnected from the audience members who initially triggered them.
About 7% of survey respondents mentioned the post-show as one of the things they enjoyed most about their experience. They enjoyed the technological, 3D and holographic aspects of the exhibition.
Outdoor photo exhibits
During the 6 months of Expo 2020 Dubai, the Canada Pavilion presented 6 different outdoor photography exhibits via a 14-panel, solar-powered structure located by the public exit. The exhibits were selected and timed to highlight occasions of importance, including various Expo 2020 Dubai thematic weeks and Canada’s National Day.
Each exhibit was curated by partners of the Canada Pavilion, including Parks Canada and Ingenium - Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, and featured text in English, French and Arabic.
The various exhibits highlighted Canada’s geography (both the country’s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cities), innovation leadership (particularly exemplified by women, visible minority communities and Indigenous groups), and priorities (including the connection between water conservation and Indigenous stewardship).
The photos located outside the Canada Pavilion on the visitors’ exit side received only a few mentions by survey respondents. About 5% of respondents mentioned the photo exhibition as the component they most liked about their visit to the Pavilion. It was clear to a few informants that the photo exhibit was an excellent visiting card and supported Canada’s key messages of being a great country to visit, a great place to live and a country that celebrates its cultural diversity.
On-site observers noticed that few visitors spent time at the photo exhibit. Upon leaving the Pavilion, many visitors hurried toward other pavilions without noticing the presence of the photo exhibit. The fact that the photos were positioned away from the path taken by visitors when they exited the Pavilion did not help to effectively attract their attention. A few key informants mentioned that positioning the photo exhibit on the path taken by visitors would have allowed more of them to see and appreciate it.
Recommendations
Exhibits should be arranged in the most optimal manner along the pathway taken by visitors at the Pavilion site. The flow of visitors through the Pavilion should be carefully planned to maximize the reach of all exhibits on the site.
2.8 Protocol and events
Official visits brought a host of VIPs to the Pavilion. Official visitors to the Pavilion included members of the U.A.E. royal families, ambassadors, foreign delegations, military delegations, representatives of the Canadian government and Canadian provinces, representatives of private companies and representatives of the education sector, as well as representatives from the Expo 2020 Dubai host organization and other Expo 2020 Dubai international pavilions.
The Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team also organized a variety of events, including business events, networking meetings, receptions and news conferences.
Following is information about the number of official visits and events held during the 6 months of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
Visits
The Canadian Pavilion received 102 official visits as part of its protocol program at Expo 2020 Dubai. The monthly number of official visits to the Pavilion fluctuated from one month to the next, depending on the evolution of the pandemic and health-related constraints in Dubai: October (2), November (20), December (13), January (16), February (24) and March (27).
Events
The Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team organized several events for Expo 2020 Dubai. A total of 58 events were held during the 6-month duration of the event: October (6), November (12), December (7), January (3), February (10), March (20).
For many key informants, Canada’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai was crucial to Canada’s ongoing relationship with the U.A.E. and other countries in the region. Not participating in Expo 2020 Dubai would have been remarked upon and likely detrimental to Canada’s bilateral relations and business development in the region. For these informants, Canada’s participation was therefore seen as a diplomatic success. The fact that Canada was successful in attracting many high-level U.A.E. officials to the Pavilion was also a sign to many informants that Canada was able to advance its political interests in the region and deepen bilateral relations with the U.A.E. Results show that not only was the Canadian Pavilion able to attract visitors and delegations of importance to Canada, but that the team also took advantage of opportunities to build and maintain relationships with foreign decision makers to advance Canada’s political and economic interests.
Culinary program
The culinary program is a key component of Canada’s participation at international expositions, serving to meet the catering and hospitality needs for VIP and promotional events at the Canada Pavilion. An additional element of the program is the promotion of a broad range of Canadian food and beverage products. Menus presented a regional balance of Canadian foods and beverages and allowed Pavilion guests to experience Canadian-style cuisine often made with domestic ingredients and prepared by young Canadian chefs from across Canada.
The in-house culinary program involved graduates of Canadian culinary schools working in the Pavilion kitchen together with locally hired service staff to provide Canadian food and hospitality to Canada Pavilion guests. Both the kitchen staff and service staff worked under the guidance of a Canadian chef/manager whose duties included recruiting, kitchen design, food, wine and equipment purchasing (both locally and in Canada), scheduling, menu development, outreach, event planning and cooking.
The culinary program operated on a cost-recovery basis with Canada Pavilion clients. Clients were invited to fill out the in-house hospitality form, and an approximate quote was provided for each function based on the number of attendees, the desired food and beverage menu, and any additional requests provided (i.e. flowers, audiovisual needs, translation services, linens, additional personnel). Clients were subsequently billed at cost for what they consumed and any additional services that were provided.
2.9 Cultural and public affairs programming
A dedicated team at the Canada Pavilion was responsible for developing cultural and public affairs programming and delivering a core function of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. Events were designed according to a calendar of important observances, including but not limited to Expo 2020 Dubai thematic weeks and Canadian and international holidays, and in response to collaboration opportunities proposed by other national pavilions. The objectives of the cultural and public affairs program were to bring attention to Canadian values and cultural richness, as well as to give visibility to the Canada Pavilion (although events did not necessarily always take place at the Pavilion).
The team also provided key on-site support and guidance to Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC), which was engaged to program Canada’s performing arts offerings throughout Expo 2020 Dubai. Under the NAC’s expert curation, a total of 102 artists and groups (including 27 Indigenous artists), representing all regions of Canada, were featured in 105 performances between October 2021 and March 2022. The entire offering evoked a wide range of Canadian artistry and talent, and showcased the breadth, diversity and excellence of Canada’s performing arts in music, dance and theatre.
Performances by Canadian artists were woven into events at the Canada Pavilion and across the Expo 2020 Dubai site, including during Canada’s National Day.
Canada’s National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai
The Canada Pavilion marked Canada’s National Day on Saturday, March 19, 2022, with a calendar of cultural and business events recognizing the deepening economic, cultural and people-to-people ties between Canada, the U.A.E. and the broader MENA region. Several high-profile guests were present for the occasion, including the Governor General of Canada, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, who led Canada’s official delegation for the occasion and participated in a series of high-level meetings. For this occasion, the Governor General was accompanied by Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, the Honourable Mary Ng.
The days leading up to Canada’s National Day were filled with a variety of artistic and cultural offerings curated by the NAC. A special outdoor photographic exhibit was installed on the occasion of Canada’s National Day.
Key informants almost unanimously perceived that Canada’s National Day was the pinnacle of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. All aspects of the day were viewed as a great success, with official meetings and artist performances meeting the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team’s expectations.
Special occasions, such as Canada’s National Day and National Flag Day, had a positive pulling effect on Expo 2020 Dubai visitors. In fact, 6% of visitors who were intercepted on site indicated that certain special occasions, such as Canada’s National Day, were the main reason for their visit to the Pavilion site.
Other key initiatives
Other key events for Canada at Expo 2020 Dubai—and which involved the cultural and public affairs program—included the following:
· Te Aratini Festival of Indigenous and Tribal Ideas (November 17 to 19), which took place during Tolerance & Inclusivity Week, and for which a delegation of 8 Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners were invited by the NAC to represent Canada during panel events and live performances
· Canada Site Run (January 30), which was considered one of the most successful editions of this event and tradition organized by a country pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai; the event drew 1,009 participants, including 720 runners directly on the site of Expo 2020 Dubai, with the rest attending virtually
· International Day of La Francophonie (March 20), for which the Canada Pavilion programmed its own events and collaborated with other national pavilions on-site-wide initiatives, including a concert
· U.A.E. premiere of the film “Peace by Chocolate” (March 21), an initiative of the Embassy of Canada to the U.A.E. and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, in partnership the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative
Key informants involved in Expo 2020 Dubai’s artistic and performance components said that their experience was very positive, even in the context of the pandemic—which created uncertainty with respect to planning and logistics for bringing artists to the physical site. Informants mentioned they enjoyed the artistic freedom and flexibility given to them by the GAC lead, which they said was a necessity in this context. This flexibility allowed for unexpected opportunities for some artists that would not have been possible had everything been planned long in advance.
According to many informants, the cultural programming at Expo 2020 Dubai was a great success. It gave artists the opportunity to develop and perform on a major international stage, bringing them to audiences that would otherwise have been inaccessible. Expo 2020 Dubai was an invaluable opportunity for Canadian artists to make their mark in the region.
The cultural program put forward by the team certainly allowed Canada to achieve some of the objectives the team had set out. According to several informants, the entire cultural program adequately promoted Canadian culture and its artists. The variety of artists and performances certainly conveyed the message that Canada is a country with a rich cultural diversity.
However, communications and media relations could have been better planned. Enhanced planning would have given Canadian artists even more visibility during the Expo’s 6-month period. Some informants stated that using the appeal of performing artists in future expos would be a clever strategy to help draw more visitors to the Pavilion.
Recommendations
Canada’s participation and organization of special events and occasions, and the inclusion of a wide variety of artists, should be seen as priorities for future World Expos as they prove to be very beneficial for Canada’s participation in such events. More efforts should be put into the planning of communications and media relations campaigns to maximize the reach of Canada’s cultural programming and related special events, occasions and performances—all of which play a key role in achieving a triple objective: attracting visitors to the Pavilion, showcasing Canadian artists to new audiences and promoting Canada’s cultural diversity. Additionally, some level of flexibility should be incorporated within the planning of future World Expos to allow artists to be able to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.
2.10 Commercial program
The commercial program aimed at promoting business between Canada and the U.A.E. and other MEASA countries, to build Canada-U.A.E. bilateral trade and investment relationships, and to create commercial opportunities for Canadian companies. The commercial program was organized by the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai (DUBAI), which worked in close collaboration with the Canada Expo 2020 Dubai team (DWD) and the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS).
The commercial program focused on specific industry sectors grouped under 3 main themes:
· diversity: creative industries, international education, women entrepreneurs and Indigenous entrepreneurs
· innovation: health care, aerospace, defence & security, fintech, e-commerce, green building and agricultural technology
· “Our future”: space, energy, cleantech, hydrogen, food security, forestry products, logistics and infrastructure
Outreach
The commercial program was a crucial element in supporting Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery in many sectors and offered opportunities for Canadian companies to diversify exports to new markets through the U.A.E. -the regional business hub - and develop new technologies and product offerings for the MENASA region.
In preparation for Expo 2020 Dubai, TCS worked to connect with thousands of stakeholders, including companies, partners, business councils, agencies, and provincial and federal government departments in Canada to promote the opportunities available to Canada in the U.A.E. and in the region. TCS provided 699 international business development services directly to clients and conducted over 200 outcalls to engage local stakeholders.
The commercial program engaged the Government of Canada’s network and business partners to collaborate in areas of mutual interest by working closely with such entities as:
• Export Development Canada
• Canadian Commercial Corporation
• Invest in Canada
• Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Canadian Heritage
• select industry associations across Canada
• Canada’s leading innovation centres and Canada’s leading R&D centres
• provincial governments
• key municipal economic development/investment promotion agencies via Invest in Canada
• business associations such as the Canada-U.A.E. Business Council (CUBC), Canada Arab Business Council (CABC), Canadian Business Council (CBC) Dubai, CBC Abu Dhabi
• chambers of commerce across Canada
Outcomes
During Expo 2020 Dubai, the commercial program was delivered both in person (at the Pavilion, on-site or off-site) and virtually. The TCS team organized more than 50 trade events during Expo 2020 Dubai, and more than 15 other private sector events took place at the Pavilion.
Expo 2020 Dubai was the occasion for Canada, through its commercial program, to strengthen the Canada-U.A.E. trade relationship, and to create and strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders in the region. Four business councils—the Canada-U.A.E. Business Council, the Canada-Arab Business Council, the Canadian Business Council in Dubai and the Canadian Business Council in Abu Dhabi—worked in collaboration with the Canadian missions abroad and delivered 10 joint initiatives.
Expo 2020 Dubai led to better coordination among business councils, which worked together to identify sectoral interests and key strengths/activities of focus. A virtual platform was created in June 2021 to launch the commercial program, in partnership with business councils, to virtually provide clients with a single-window access to a range of services for Canadian SMEs during the period where COVID-induced travel restrictions were in place. TCS delivered major marketing campaigns in partnership with Invest in Canada to promote investment in Canada and engage local investors. This included a high-profile reception in the presence of Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.
The federal minister of international trade and the Saskatchewan minister of trade and export development visited Expo 2020 Dubai, which helped strengthen bilateral relationships with U.A.E. companies. Saskatchewan and Alberta both announced the opening of offices in the U.A.E.
Federal government departments and agencies (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Heritage) were able to solidify their business interests in the region. Some Canadian companies involved in the organization of Expo 2020 Dubai were able to showcase their know-how and to work on developing business opportunities in the region. These companies included EllisDon, Hatch, Christie Digital Systems, Crystal Fountains, SACO, IBI Group, KANVA, Akufen, Lord Cultural Resources, ThinkWell, and Iregular. In addition, Canada and the U.A.E. signed a strategic agreement on creative economies and 2 memoranda of understanding on 1) hydrogen and decarbonization and 2) TV, film and animation.
Many key informants were particularly complimentary of Canada’s trade program in Dubai. They pointed to the success of the program in launching 50 trade missions in the wake of Expo 2020 Dubai—despite the difficult circumstances related to the pandemic. It was noted that the Canada Pavilion provided an ideal setting for meetings, and that hosting business events in the VIP section could be done seamlessly. They added that the staff was supportive and helpful in the execution of events and that the lounge was the ideal place to hold such meetings. For these informants, the commercial program was successful in helping advance Canada’s economic interests in the U.A.E. and in the MENA region. Some other informants were also very positive about the potential for new business opportunities because of their participation at Expo 2020 Dubai and the visibility it has given them.
A few informants questioned the relevance of bringing businesspeople to Expo 2020 Dubai, with all the logistical challenges that this implied: the site’s off-centre location and the difficulty of getting around and organizing transportation with Expo 2020 Dubai organizers were cited as irritants. In this regard, it was indicated that it would have been simpler and more efficient to organize business events in downtown hotels rather than at the Canada Pavilion. However, these informants also recognized that Expo 2020 Dubai provided an ideal context for bringing businesspeople to the region.
2.11 Communications
The Communications team was supported by a local media relations and PR firm, Mojo PR. The firm, together with the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai communications team, was responsible for preparing communication plans and developing a media strategy for the entire duration of Expo 2020 Dubai to give maximum visibility to Canada’s participation, activities, events and key messages. The firm was responsible for media relations, arranging interviews with key representatives, and monitoring traditional and social media.
Social media (Instagram/Twitter)
Canada used a variety of platforms—Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram—to promote its participation at Expo 2020 Dubai. Social media platforms were particularly used to ensure that Canada reached the 18-35-year-old age group. The content promoted was tailored to suit the unique tone of each platform and to better resonate with the platforms’ respective audience. Social media was primarily used to promote both the Canada Pavilion’s website and its on-site, physical elements.
The social media communication goals were many: to raise awareness of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai; to maximize the reach of messages; to showcase Canadian expertise; to increase Canada’s visibility as a destination of choice for visiting, studying, investing, doing business and immigrating; and to promote Canadian values.
In total, 1,125 posts were published on the various platforms, generating a total of 514,585 impressions, an average of 23,001 impressions per post. Instagram generated the highest engagement rate as well as the highest total growth percentage (139%) from June to March. But the other platforms also contributed to Canada meeting its communications goals. In total, Facebook generated the most impressions (242,107), Twitter the most engagements (16,108) and LinkedIn the most link clicks (3,343).
Website: thefutureinmind.ca
From October 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, Canadians and people from around the world were able to experience Canada’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai through the website thefutureinmind.ca. This unique virtual experience was designed and produced by the NFB’s Interactive Studio in partnership with Montréal-based Akufen.
A total of 42,915 visitors accessed the “Future in Mind” website, via 61,962 sessions. The number of visits to the website remained constant throughout Expo 2020 Dubai between October 2021 and March 2022. Traffic spikes on the website were noticeable, especially during the end of October and the end of December 2021, and on New Year’s Day 2022.
Reflecting Expo 2020 Dubai’s visitor profile, half of the visitors to the “Future in Mind” website were from the U.A.E. and India. Visits to the website from Canada were the third most numerous.
The website won awards from the following organizations:
- Awwwards. (site of the day, Dec. 27, 2021): https://www.awwwards.com/sites/the-future-in-mind
- FWA: https://thefwa.com/cases/future-in-mind-p2
- CSS Design Awards: https://www.cssdesignawards.com/sites/the-future-in-mind/40028/
- Communication Arts magazine, Interactive Annual, March/April 2022: https://www.commarts.com/gallery?d=interactive&y=2022
Media relations (e.g. print articles, interviews)
During the 6 months of Expo 2020 Dubai, Canada had great visibility in the local media. Some 393 articles were published by local media, reaching a potential audience of 489,457,222. Of the audiences reached by the media coverage, 16% were local (in the U.A.E.), and 84% were pan-Arabic—in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Much of the media coverage of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai was either positive (85%) or neutral (15%). Canada’s key messages around business, diversity, innovation and trade received the most media coverage, followed by messages about education, immigration, tourism and investment. Canada’s Expo 2020 Dubai activities attracted media interest, with 25 interviews and 11 on-site media tours.
The Canada Pavilion received the most media attention (80 articles), followed by the Terry Fox Run (more than 75 articles), trade missions (more than 70 articles), theme weeks (more than 35 articles), Canada’s National Day (more than 30 articles), the NAC cultural program (more than 20 articles) and the photo exhibit (more than 20 articles).
The delegations that came to the Pavilion for Space Week (from the Canadian Space Agency), for International Women’s Day (Women in Tech), for the Canada Advancing Clean Energy event (hydrogen and decarbonization), and from McGill University were covered in the media. This media coverage helped promote Canadian expertise in various industry sectors while highlighting the importance of bilateral relations between Canada and the United Arab Emirates and, more broadly, with MENA countries.
Thematic events such as Tolerance & Inclusivity Week - Te Aratini; Knowledge & Learning Week, World Conference on Creative Economy; U.A.E. 50th Anniversary; Run the World; Terry Fox Run Dubai; seminar on agri-Food and agro-tech; Canada’s National Day; International Day of La Francophonie; and the “Peace By Chocolate” event received noteworthy media coverage.
Some Canadian provinces—more specifically, Saskatchewan and Alberta—also strengthened their ties with the U.A.E. Activities organized by the 2 provincial governments were covered in the local media as a direct outcome of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
It is also worth mentioning that Governor General Mary Simon’s visit to the Expo on Canada’s National Day was a major factor in generating interest from the U.A.E.’s most senior official. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the U.A.E.’s vice president and prime minister, and the ruler of Dubai, made a special visit to the Canada Pavilion for the occasion. The Governor General, together with the Commissioner General for Canada - Expo 2020, Marie-Genevičve Mounier, and Canada’s ambassador to the U.A.E., Marcy Grossman, were the most prominent spokespersons for Expo 2020 Dubai in the media.
The National Arts Centre’s delegation also received extensive coverage during Expo 2020 Dubai. The participation by singer Marie-Mai, pop duo Neon Dreams and circus troupe Artcirq at Canada’s National Day received significant media coverage, with 17 articles each. The other artists in the delegation also received media coverage, but to a lesser extent.
According to key informants, communications and media relations were a particularly successful aspect of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai. The PR firm selected to carry out media relations for Canada increased the efficiency and effectiveness of communications activities, engagement with local media and alignment of content with local interests. Some interviews revealed that Canada could have benefited from even better media coverage had communications planning begun earlier and had the PR partner firm been involved at an earlier stage of the planning process. A communications plan could have been deployed to build up interest for Canada’s participation and its programs.
Recommendations
Firms and individuals responsible for media communications and PR should be involved at an earlier stage in the planning process for Canada’s participation in World Expos.
2.12 Finance
Ultimately, the overall project cost was $42.137M. The Government of Canada’s $40M in funding was supplemented by a $3M investment provided through a partnership with Invest in Canada.
Unexpected additional costs arising from the postponement of the event, due to the pandemic and following discussions with other country participants, were estimated to be in the order of 10%. In the end, these additional costs were limited and mostly attributable to construction of the Pavilion. Budgetary offsets were realized mainly by salary cost savings, following a pause on project activity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by savings made during the event, including reduced hospitality and changes to the Canada’s National Day Program.
Expenses
· corporate and personnel: $13,230,001
· development of the Canada Pavilion and visitor experience: $22,195,972
· operations: $988,881
· public affairs and programming: $2,472,844
· communications: $907,706
· travel and relocation: $2,165,878
· other (ex. contract, procurement, travel expenses): $176,074
2.13 General takeaways
Data collected from the Canada Pavilion visitor survey and key informant interviews suggest that Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai was mostly successful.
Canada was successful in reaching the targets it had set for the event. Most visitors to the Pavilion were from the MENA region and Asia and were, for the most part, under the age of 35.
Survey data indicates that a large portion of visitors left the Pavilion with a positive perception of their experience and an increased interest in doing business with, investing in, visiting or studying in Canada. Most survey respondents also indicated that their visit to the Pavilion increased their interest in Canada’s culture and cultural productions.
The Canada Pavilion visitor experience also had an impact on visitors’ perception that Canada is a country that respects diversity, has progressive human rights values and is innovative. Survey respondents were overwhelmingly inclined to say that their perception of Canada in these respects had improved following their visit.
Interviews with informants also suggest that Canada was able to deliver its messages to different target audiences. That said, some of the interviewees indicated that Canada was trying to deliver too many different messages, which could ultimately dilute their respective impact. This perception seemed to be echoed in the media coverage, whereby some of the key themes—such as tourism and immigration—received less coverage than others. Some respondents indicated that, in future events of this magnitude, it would be better for Canada to focus on only a few core messages and condense its actions around these messages.
Protocol, cultural and commercial programs each achieved a notable level of success, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic context in which Expo 2020 Dubai was held. Getting high-level representatives to visit Canada’s Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion was one of Canada’s objectives, and evidence shows that the GAC team and mission were indeed able to draw a high number of VIPs to the Canada Pavilion. The Pavilion received visits from several foreign delegations, including senior U.A.E. government officials, and Canada’s missions in the U.A.E. also hosted a series of business and networking events for the benefit of Canadian companies in many industry sectors. Through its cultural program, Canada was also able to showcase many Canadian artists to international audiences—an opportunity for many of these artists to reach new audiences.
Feedback from the interviews indicated that the impact of Canada’s actions in Dubai might only be felt in the longer term, not within the next few months or years. Even if many interviewees were reluctant to say whether Canada had achieved its specific objectives, most informants were positive and believed that Canada would benefit from its participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
2.14 Recommendations
The study identified 5 key recommendations regarding Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
Recommendation 1
In considering Canada’s participation in future World Expos, GAC should attempt to limit the number of key messages to its primary audiences to maximize their impact on visitors and to leave a clear and unambiguous memory of the Canada Pavilion experience.
Recommendation 2
In considering Canada’s participation in future World Expos, GAC should define its communications lines, strategy and plan as early as possible. This would enable GAC to take advantage of every opportunity to build awareness and expectations for Canada and to promote Canada’s participation.
Recommendation 3
In considering Canada’s participation in future World Expos, GAC should create the content of its offer by keeping in mind the expected profile of visitors to the Expo in question. In general, visitors want to live an emotional experience, collect memories and gather key information about Canada. Each Expo audience, however, can be expected to have some unique characteristics, based on the event’s location. Expo organizers must therefore ensure that content presented is as simple to understand as possible and easy to access, and ensure that visitors do not have to work through, for example, long texts, websites or QR codes to find the information they are looking for.
Recommendation 4
In considering Canada’s physical Pavilion in future World Expos, GAC should organize the spaces to ensure the most efficient management of the flow of visitors, while keeping in mind the need for a pleasant, comfortable and safe environment. Exhibitions and experiences should be strategically arranged along the visitor’s path to maximize their reach and impact.
Recommendation 5
In considering Canada’s participation in future World Expos, GAC should ensure that it collaborates with, consults and involves Canadian staff at missions, and staff from other federal departments and agencies (Immigration, Tourism, etc.), especially employees deployed abroad, to ensure the best possible promotion of Canada as a destination for investment, business, education, tourism and immigration.
Appendix
A.1.1 Quantitative methodology
Quantitative research was conducted through online surveys, using computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technology.
As a member of the Canadian Insights Research Council (CRIC), Leger adheres to the most stringent guidelines for quantitative research. The survey was conducted in accordance with Government of Canada requirements for quantitative research, including the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research—Series D—Quantitative Research.
Respondents were assured of the voluntary, confidential and anonymous nature of this research. As with all research conducted by Leger, all information that could allow for the identification of participants was removed from the data, in accordance with the Privacy Act.
The questionnaire is available in Appendix A.2.
Intercept methodology
This public opinion research was conducted by Leger Marketing Inc. and its partner in the U.A.E., Think Positive. The intercept face-to-face survey was programmed on an online professional platform, using CAWI technology, to allow for an easy deployment at the Expo 2020 Dubai site and ensure data integrity and safety even in an environment without a stable Internet connection. Think Positive deployed a team of 8 interviewers to the Canada Pavilion site whose task was to intercept visitors after their visit had just ended to collect their opinions and perceptions while the experience was still fresh in their minds.
Bilingual interviewers could administer the questionnaire in either English or Arabic, depending on the preference of the responding visitor. The short questionnaire took a maximum of 4 minutes to complete. The length of the questionnaire was determined to maximize visitor participation in the survey and to avoid interfering with the visitor experience at the World Expo site. Canada Pavilion staff conducted a pre-test of the questionnaire before the actual data collection began. The data from this pre-test was not retained. Think Positive conducted a second pre-test with actual visitors to the site. Leger Marketing was responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of the data collection, transferring the data to Leger’s servers in Canada and validating pre-test results. Once the validation was done, data collection was deployed for the rest of the project. The data from this pre-test was kept in the final database.
Leger adheres to the most stringent guidelines for quantitative research. The survey instrument was compliant with the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork for the survey was carried out from February 12, 2022, to March 25, 2022. A total of 1,502 visitors at the Canada Pavilion were surveyed.
The 1,502 respondents were distributed as follows during the data collection period:
February 12: 147
February 15: 300
February 26: 203
March 5: 187
March 8: 149
March 12: 144
March 19: 185
March 25: 187
Limitations
The methodology did not use systematic sampling for data collection. Since a sample of visitors selected among those who volunteered to participate in the surveys is not probabilistic in nature, the margins of sampling error, the confidence interval and the response rate cannot be calculated for this survey. Since the data collection dates were determined by the Canada Pavilion team in Dubai, the results cannot be interpreted as being representative of Expo 2020 Dubai as a whole.
The results of this survey are not statistically projectable to the target population because the sampling method used does not ensure that the sample represents the target population with a known margin of sampling error. Reported percentages are not generalizable to any group other than the sample studied, and therefore no formal statistical inferences can be drawn between the sample results and the broader target population it may be intended to reflect. The data have not been weighted in any way to reflect the demographic composition of the population of visitors at the Canada Pavilion, since the profile of all Canada Pavilion visitors is not known.
Participation rate
Given the nature of the data collection method and sample, it was not possible to calculate a participation rate or an answer rate for this project.
Non-response bias
Because the sample is based on a voluntary sampling of visitors and not a systematic sampling, the composition of the final sample cannot be considered an accurate reflection of all visitors to the Canada Pavilion during Expo 2020 Dubai. The composition of the final sample is noticeably more skewed toward males than females. It is possible that a more evenly balanced sampling would have produced different results. It is possible that women may have responded differently to some questions than men due to cultural or attitudinal differences. The final sample composition in terms of age and origin, however, appears to be much more in line with the composition of Expo 2020 Dubai visitors as reported by the organizers. Thus, it appears that for these subgroups (age and origin), the issue of non-response is less of a concern than for gender.
A.1.2 Qualitative methodology
Leger conducted a series of interviews with key informants: GAC leads, staff members, senior officials, internal and external partners, and other stakeholders. Leger recruited stakeholder participants through a hybrid methodology (email and phone). Most key informants were recruited by email, while others were recruited by phone. The one-on-one interviews were either held face-to-face directly on-site in Dubai during the observer’s on-site visit or held over the phone or via the MS Teams platform. Each interview lasted approximately 30 minutes and covered almost the same themes, though with slight differences based on respondents’ profiles. Interviews were held in English or French, as per the participants’ preference.
The GAC project authority was very helpful in making an initial contact with many key informants to maximize participation rate for this portion of the project. A total of 43 key informants participated in the interviews between March 21, 2022, and April 28, 2022.
A.1.3 On-site visits
A senior researcher visited the Expo 2020 Dubai site during March 2022 to conduct observations at the Canada Pavilion and other expo pavilions. These observations allow for comparison. The site visits also provided an opportunity for in-person interviews with key informants. Observations made during site visits allowed for participants to describe/review the Pavilion’s look and feel. Those observations were also useful in providing the research report with context and depth.
The purpose of the on-site visits was to directly assess the Canada Pavilion and its public presentation, along with its relevant outreach programming and complementary programming activities; to gain insight into visitors’ experiences at the Canada Pavilion and at Expo 2020 Dubai; and to get a precise sense of Pavilion operations.
A.1.4 Site visits
The project authority was responsible for providing factual data to the Leger team. Information included:
· Expo 2020 Dubai attendance data
· expo organizers’ documentation
· Canada Pavilion attendance data
· number and description of events hosted by Canada on- and off-site
· agreements signed
· media tracking (U.A.E. and Canada)
· website/social media data
This data was used as background information to describe the scope of the event and Canada’s related contribution.
A.2 Face-to-face intercept survey results
Demographics
While this study is non-probabilistic, and therefore no inference can be made as to the overall population of Canada Pavilion visitors, our results show that survey respondents were mainly from India (23%), the Philippines (17%), the United Arab Emirates (8%), Pakistan (7%) and Canada (6%). Other visitors were from various countries, mainly from the MENA region or Asia (see Table 1).
Table 1. Visitors by country of origin
|
India |
23% |
|
Philippines |
17% |
|
United Arab Emirates |
8% |
|
Pakistan |
7% |
|
Canada |
6% |
|
Egypt |
3% |
|
China |
2% |
|
Saudi Arabia |
2% |
|
Syria |
2% |
|
U.K. |
2% |
|
Jordan |
2% |
|
West Bank and Gaza |
1% |
|
Sudan |
1% |
|
Bangladesh |
1% |
|
Indonesia |
1% |
|
Oman |
1% |
|
France |
1% |
|
Lebanon |
1% |
|
Iran |
1% |
|
Morocco |
1% |
|
Nepal |
1% |
|
Kuwait |
1% |
|
Tunisia |
1% |
|
Other country |
13% |
Of the total number of visitors, 13% came from various other countries, with attendance for each of these countries totalling less than 1% of overall attendance. They were therefore grouped in the “Other country“ category.
As shown in Table 2, most survey respondents were male (62%), with females accounting for 38%.
Table 2. Gender identity
|
Male |
62% |
|
Female |
38% |
Younger people—under the age of 35—are well represented among the survey respondents, which is in line with the Expo 2020 Dubai organizers’ expectation of hosting a younger crowd. Respondents under the age of 35 represent 59% of the final survey sample, while older respondents represent 39%. A small percentage of respondents (2%) chose not to answer the question.
Table 3. Age categories
|
Under 18 |
4% |
|
Between 18 and 24 |
14% |
|
Between 25 and 34 |
42% |
|
Between 35 and 44 |
28% |
|
Between 45 and 54 |
8% |
|
Between 55 and 64 |
2% |
|
65 or older |
0% |
|
Prefer not to answer |
2% |
Satisfaction with the general experience
Most visitors (82%) said they were satisfied with their visit to the Canada Pavilion, including the theatre show and the various exhibits that were part of the standard visitor experience, while 15% of visitors indicated that they were unsatisfied with their visit. A small percentage (3%) of visitors did not want to comment on their level of satisfaction with their the Canada Pavilion experience.
Figure 1: General satisfaction
Q1: Thinking about your visit to the Canada Pavilion, how satisfied or unsatisfied were you with your general experience, inclusive of the theatre show and the various exhibits? (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
The following subgroups were more likely to be satisfied with their general experience:
· men (79%), compared with women (65%)
· respondents from countries other than Canada and the United Arab Emirates (84%), compared to respondents from Canada (46%)
Elements of satisfaction
Respondents most liked the following Canada Pavilion elements:
· theatre show (with the 360-degree screen view): 29%
· Pavilion’s exterior architecture: 20%
· on-site shows and entertainment: 14%
· post shows: 7%
· pictures and photos: 5%
· presentation and general setup: 5%
Other elements of satisfaction were mentioned less (less than 5 percentage points). Approximately 1 in 10 respondents (12%) said they enjoyed absolutely everything about their experience, while a small percentage of respondents (4%) were unable to mention a single favourite element of their visit.
Table 4. Most-liked elements
|
360 theatre show (film) |
29% |
|
Pavilion architecture and design - exterior |
20% |
|
Shows and entertainment |
14% |
|
Good / great / nothing that I didn’t like |
12% |
|
“Present in the Future” post show |
7% |
|
Presentation / setup |
5% |
|
Pictures / photos / artwork / decor |
5% |
|
Complimentary food / sweets (offered on special occasions) |
3% |
|
Friendly hospitality / helpful staff |
2% |
|
Beautiful / beautiful country / nice scenery |
1% |
|
Didn’t like it / nothing that I liked |
4% |
|
Other |
7% |
|
Prefer not to answer |
4% |
Q2: What did you like most and least about your experience at the Canada Pavilion? (Base: all respondents, n=1,502)
Some respondents provided more than 1 satisfaction item, so the total number of mentions may exceed 100%.
Elements of dissatisfaction
More than a third of survey respondents (37%) were unable to identify a single element that caused dissatisfaction or was less appreciated. For the other respondents, the lack of space and the Pavilion’s limited size and crowded environment (13%) were aspects that most displeased them.
Other respondents were dissatisfied with the lack of information about Canada and Canadian culture (6%); the lack of entertainment, activities and shows (short show) (6%); the long waiting times and queuing (5%); and technical problems with the theatre show (5%). Other unsatisfactory or less-appreciated aspects, though in a smaller proportion, were the poor visual effects and lighting (3%), sound issues and poor choice of music (3%), and difficulty in understanding some aspects of the Pavilion’s exhibits (3%).
Table 5. Elements of dissatisfaction
|
Too small / lack of space / too crowded |
13% |
|
Not enough information / not enough information about Canada and Canadian culture |
6% |
|
Not enough entertainment and activities / short show / not much to see |
6% |
|
Long waits / lineups |
5% |
|
Video / screen issues |
5% |
|
Poor visuals / effects / lighting |
3% |
|
Sound issues / too loud / poor music |
3% |
|
Difficult to understand |
3% |
|
Didn’t like it / nothing that I liked |
1% |
|
Other |
6% |
|
Good / great / nothing that I didn’t like |
37% |
|
Prefer not to answer |
14% |
Q3: What did you like most and least about your experience at the Canada Pavilion? (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
Some respondents provided more than one satisfaction/dissatisfaction item, so the total number of mentions may exceed 100%.
The following are some of the significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· women are more likely to have identified no specific area of dissatisfaction during their visit to the Canada Pavilion (44% vs. 34% for men)
· respondents aged under 35 were more likely to have identified no elements of dissatisfaction (42%) than respondents 35 and older (32%)
· respondents 35 and older were more likely to have mentioned the small size of the Pavilion and the density of the crowd (15% vs. 12% for those under 35), the lack of information about Canada (9% vs. 5%), and the lack of entertainment and activities, and short show (8% vs. 5%); they also mentioned video and screen issues (6% vs. 4%)
· respondents from countries other than Canada and the United Arab Emirates were more likely to have identified no areas of dissatisfaction during their visit to the Canada Pavilion (40% vs. 17% for visitors from Canada and 25% for those from the United Arab Emirates)
Reasons to visit the Canada Pavilion
Visitors had the option of visiting pavilions from nearly 200 countries scattered throughout the Expo 2020 Dubai site. There are several reasons why visitors might want to visit specific countries’ pavilions more than others. Visitors to the Canada Pavilion who responded to the survey indicated as their main motivation their desire to visit as many Expo pavilions as possible or because the Canada Pavilion was close to other pavilions (42%). Other visitors pointed out the intrinsic appeal of Canada as a great country (13%) and their desire to experience and learn more about Canadian culture and history (9%). Apart from these 3 main reasons, Canada’s National Day (6%) and being a non-resident of Canada (6%) were also important motivators to attract visitors to the Pavilion.
Table 6. Reasons for visiting the Canada Pavilion
|
To see Expo 2020 Dubai / visit all pavilions / close to other pavilions |
42% |
|
I like Canada / great country |
13% |
|
To experience and learn about Canadian culture, Canadian history and Canada |
9% |
|
Special occasion – Canada’s National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai (March 19)/ National Flag Day and Canada’s National Day (February 15) |
6% |
|
I’m from another country |
6% |
|
I’m Canadian / I live in Canada |
4% |
|
Nice building design / exterior / design of the Pavilion |
4% |
|
To visit/live/study in Canada / to go to Canada in the future |
3% |
|
Recommended by family, friends, etc. |
3% |
|
To have fun / nice activities / entertainment purposes |
1% |
|
Other |
6% |
|
Prefer not to answer |
3% |
Q3: What led you to visit the Canada Pavilion? (Base: all respondents; n= 1,502). Some respondents provided more than one satisfaction item, so the total number of mentions may exceed 100%.
Here are some significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· women were more likely to mention the inherent appeal of Canada as a great country (16% vs. 12% for men), the country’s national holiday (8% vs. 5% for men) and having received a recommendation from family or friends (5% vs. 2% for men) as their source of motivation for visiting the Pavilion
· those aged under 35 were more likely to have been attracted to the Pavilion because of Canada’s reputation as a great country (15% vs. 12% for those 35 and over)
· respondents over 35 years of age were more likely to indicate that they wanted to visit all pavilions (15% vs. 12%) as their reason to visit
· Canadian visitors were more likely to indicate that they were attracted to the Pavilion because it was their home country (62%), while visitors from countries other than Canada or the United Arab Emirates were more likely to indicate that they were attracted by Canada’s reputation as a great country (14%) and by their desire to see all the pavilions (44%)
Impact of visit on opinion of Canada
When asked whether how their experience at the Canada Pavilion had influenced their opinion of Canada, 48% of respondents indicated that the visit had improved their opinion and 45% said their opinion remained the same. Only a small percentage of respondents (4%) said that the Pavilion experience had worsened their opinion of the country.
Figure 2. Impact of visit on opinion of Canada
Q4: Has your opinion of Canada improved, stayed the same or worsened as a result of your visit to the Canada Pavilion? (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
The following highlights some of the significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· men (52%) were more likely than women (41%) to have indicated that the Canada Pavilion visit had improved their opinion of Canada
· younger visitors under 35 (52%) were more likely than visitors 35 and older (41%) to feel that visiting the Canada Pavilion had improved their opinion of the country
· visitors from Canada were among the most critical of the Pavilion visit. This is the group of visitors most likely to indicate that the visit had a negative effect on their opinion of Canada (13% vs 5% for visitors from U.A.E. and 4% for visitors from other countries)
Interest in Canadian culture
More than 8 in 10 respondents (81%) indicated that their visit had increased their level of interest in Canadian culture. Slightly more than 1 in 10 (14%) said the opposite, and only 5% did not take a position on this question.
Figure 3. Impact of visit on opinion of Canadian culture
Q5: Has your visit to the Canada Pavilion increased your level of interest in Canadian culture? (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
The following highlights some of the significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· younger visitors under 35 years of age (84%) were more likely than visitors 35 years and older (75%) to feel that visiting the Canada Pavilion had increased their interest in Canadian culture
· visitors from countries other than Canada or the United Arab Emirates (82%) were also more likely to have found that visiting the Pavilion increased their interest in Canadian culture. Canadian visitors were less likely to share this opinion (57%)
Pavilion’s impact on interest in tourism, business, education and investment
The Canada Pavilion visit appears to have had the greatest impact on interest in visiting Canada in the future. More than 8 out of 10 respondents (84%) indicated that their visit to the Canada Pavilion had a positive impact on their interest in visiting Canada. Roughly half of Pavilion visitors indicated a greater interest now in doing business with Canada (49%), investing in Canada (48%) or studying in Canada (47%).
In terms of studying in Canada, younger visitors to the Canada Pavilion were the ones whose interest was most favourably influenced by their experience at Expo 2020 Dubai. Visitors under the age of 18 (77%) and visitors between the ages of 18 and 24 (66%) said their interest in Canada was heightened by their visit to the Pavilion.
Figure 4. Pavilion’s impact on interest in tourism, business, education and investment
Q13: Did your visit to the Canada Pavilion increase your intention to...? (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
Only “YES” presented in the graphic
The following highlights some of the significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· following their visit to the Pavilion, more men than women said they were interested in doing business with Canada (52% vs. 44%) and investing in it (51% vs. 42%)
· a higher number of young people under 35 indicated that they would like to visit Canada as a tourist in the next few years compared with visitors over 35 (86% vs. 81%)
Pavilion’s impact on interest in immigration
Visiting the Pavilion also had a significant impact on visitors’ interest in emigrating to Canada. After their visit to the Pavilion, nearly half of visitors from the United Arab Emirates (47%) said they had a greater interest in emigrating to Canada to live there. This was also the case for a large proportion of respondents from other countries (56%).
Table 7. Interest in moving to and living in Canada
|
Answer categories |
United Arab Emirates |
Other countries |
|
Yes |
47% |
56% |
|
No |
39% |
36% |
Pavilion’s impact on Canada’s image
Survey respondents overwhelmingly indicated that their visit to the Canada Pavilion had increased their perception that Canada is a country that respects diversity (91%), has progressive human rights values (91%), values gender equality (89%) and is innovative (89%).
Figure 5. Impact of visit on opinion of Canada’s attributes
Q16. Please indicate whether your experience at the Canada Pavilion increased your perception that Canada is... (Base: all respondents; n=1,502)
Only “YES” presented in the graphic
The following highlights some of the significant differences between the sample subgroups:
· women (93%) more than men (89%), and younger visitors under 35 years old (92%) more than visitors over 35 (90%), were more likely to have mentioned that Canada is a country with progressive human rights values
· U.A.E. nationals (83%) were less likely to think that Canada is a country that values gender equality. Men (7%) more than women (4%), and those between 45 and 54 years old (10%), were more likely to think that Canada is not a country that values gender equality. Men (6%) more than women (3%) were more likely to think that Canada is not a country respectful of diversity
· visitors from the MENA region (86%), visitors between 45 and 54 years old (83%), and visitors from the U.A.E. (82%) were less likely to think that Canada is an innovative country
Missing aspects or elements to improve the Pavilion experience
More than half of survey respondents (57%) noted that nothing was missing from their visit, that they were not unsatisfied. The remaining respondents identified missing elements that could have improved their experience at the Pavilion. The most frequently mentioned element was a desire to have more information about Canada (9%), more historical information (2%) and more climate information (1%). The second most frequently mentioned element was the desire for a bigger Pavilion (so that it would be less crowded) (6%). This was followed by a desire for more on Canadian culture (3%), more on Canadian entertainment, longer shows and more to see (3%). While 3% of respondents said they were neutral about their experience, the same proportion (3%) said they had a bad experience—that everything could be improved as there was a lot missing from the Pavilion.
Table 8. Elements or aspects missing from the Canada Pavilion experience
|
More information / more info about Canada |
9% |
|
Larger Pavilion (too small/crowded) |
6% |
|
Canadian culture |
3% |
|
Neutral / just okay / neither good nor bad |
3% |
|
More entertainment / longer shows / more to see |
3% |
|
Bad experience / everything can improve / a lot missing |
3% |
|
More activities / interactive experience |
2% |
|
Less information (too much info) |
2% |
|
History info |
2% |
|
Improve visuals / effects / lighting |
1% |
|
Climate info |
1% |
|
Shorter waits / fewer lineups |
1% |
|
More organized events |
1% |
|
Other |
5% |
|
None / nothing / satisfied |
57% |
|
Don’t know |
1% |
|
Prefer not to answer |
2% |
Conclusion
Based on the survey results, it appears that the Canada Pavilion was able to fulfill most elements of its mission. At the outset, a strong majority of visitors were satisfied with their experience.
Furthermore, respondents agreed that the Canada Pavilion adequately fulfilled its mission to communicate Canada’s core attributes: a country that is respectful of diversity, progressive when it comes to human rights, gender-equal and innovative.
The Pavilion was also successful in encouraging a large proportion of visitors to consider traveling to, emigrating to, doing business in, investing in, and studying in Canada.
There is, however, an important observation. While nearly half of respondents indicated that their opinion of Canada had improved following their visit, the other half indicated that their opinion of Canada had remained the same. This may suggest that Canada could have used additional tools to make a stronger impression on visitors in an environment in which there are several competing pavilions.
In fact, some comments gathered suggested that there could have been a greater WOW! effect. Visitors expressed an appetite for more information about the country, its history and climate, more entertainment, more shows, more demonstration of Canadian culture and more interactivity with Pavilion elements.
A.3 Survey questionnaire in English and Arabic
INTRODUCTION
المقدمة
INFO TXT
نص البيانات
Hello, my name is ___________ from “CIE NAME”, a public opinion research firm. We need your participation in this short survey on your experience at the Canada Pavilion. This study is commissioned by the Government of Canada. Answering this survey should not take more than 4 minutes of your time.
مرحباً اسمي ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ من “اسم الشركة” شركة لأبحاث الآراء العامة . نود أن تشاركنا في هذه الدراسة القصيرة الخاصة بخبرتك في جناح كندا. يتم إجراء هذه الدراسة بتكليف من الحكومة الكندية. لن تستغرق الإجابة عن هذه الدراسة أكثر من 4 دقائق.
May I continue?
هل يمكنني الاستمرار؟
- Yes
- Refusal
- نعم
- أرفض
LANG
In which language do you prefer to answer this questionnaire?
Dans quelle langue préférez-vous répondre ŕ ce questionnaire?
INSÉRER ARABE ICI
اللغة
ما هي اللغة التي تفضلها في الإجابة عن هذا الاستبيان؟
English
French
Arabic
اللغة الإنجليزية
اللغة الفرنسية
اللغة العربية
Section A. General perception
القسم أ. التصور العام
Q#1. Thinking about your visit to the Canada Pavilion, how satisfied or unsatisfied were you with your general experience inclusive of the theatre show and the various exhibits?
بالتفكير في زيارتك لجناح كندا، إلى أي مدى تشعر بالرضا أو عدم الرضا عن تجربتك العامة بما في ذلك العرض المسرحي والمعارض المتنوعة؟
- Satisfied
- Unsatisfied
- I don’t know
1- راضِ
2- غير راض
3- لا أعرف
Q#2. What did you like most and least about your experience at the Canada Pavilion?
ما الذي أعجبك أكثر أو أقل بشأن تجربتك في جناح كندا؟
96 – Please specify “most”:
96 – Please specify “least”:
فضلاً حدد “ما أعجبك أكثر”
فضلاً حدد “ما أعجبك أقل”
Q#3. What led you to visit the Canada Pavilion?
ما الذي دفعك لزيارة جناح كندا؟
96 – Please specify:
فضلاً حدد
Q#4. Has your opinion of Canada improved, stayed the same or worsened as a result of your visit to the Canada Pavilion?
هل تحسن رأيك أم ظل كما هو أم أصبح اسوأ كنتيجة لزيارتك لجناح كندا؟
- Improved
- Stayed the same
- Worsened
- I don’t know
1- تحسن
2- ظل كما هو
3- أصبح اسوأ
4- لا أعرف
Q#5 Did your visit to the Canada Pavilion increase your intention to...?
هل عززت زيارتك لجناح كندا نيتك لـ ....
- Go on holiday to Canada in the next three years
- Move to Canada to live there
- Do business with Canada
- Study in Canada
- Invest in Canada
أ. الذهاب في عطلة إلى كندا خلال الثلاث سنوات القادمة
ب. الانتقال إلى كندا للإقامة هناك
ج. القيام بأعمال تجارية مع كندا
د. الدراسة في كندا
هـ. الاستثمار في كندا
- Yes
- No
- I don’t know
1- نعم
2- لا
3- لا أعرف
Q#6.
Please indicate whether or not your experience at the Canada Pavilion...
فضلاً حدد إذا قمات زيارتك لجناح كندا بتعزيز تصورك أن كندا ....
…increased your perception that Canada is...
- …A country respectful of diversity
- …A country that values gender equality
- …A country that is innovative
- …A country with progressive values on human rights
أ. ... دولة تحترم التعددية
ب. ... دولة تقدر المساواة بين الرجل والمرأة
ج. ... دولة مبتكرة
د. .... دولة لديها قيم تقدمية تجاه حقوق الإنسان
- Yes
- No
- I don’t know
1- نعم
2- لا
3- لا أعرف
Q#7. Has your visit to the Canada Pavilion increased your level of interest for Canadian culture?
هل أدت زيارتك لجناح كندا إلى زيادة مستوى اهتمامك بالثقافة الكندية؟
- Yes
- No
- Don’t know
1- نعم
2- لا
3- لا أعرف
Q#20. Thinking about your experience today, was there anything that was missing that could have improved your experience at the Canada Pavilion?
بالتفكير في تجربتك اليوم، هل كان هناك أي شيء مفقود والذي كان من الممكن أن يجعل تجربتك أفضل في جناح كندا؟
Please specify: _______________
فضلاً حدد: ــــــــــــــــــــــ
GNDR
النوع
What is your gender identity?
ما هي هويتك الجنسية؟
(For the Intercept Survey - Do not read the “other” category)
(للدراسة التقاطعية – لا تقرأ فئة “اخرى”)
- Male
- Female
- Other
- I prefer not to answer
1- ذكر
2- أنثى
3- أخرى
4- أفضل عدم الإجابة
AGE
السن
Would you be willing to indicate in which of the following age categories do you belong?
هل يمكنك أن تحدد إلى أي من الفئات العمرية التالية تنتمي؟
- Under 18
- Between 18 and 24
- Between 25 and 34
- Between 35 and 44
- Between 45 and 54
- Between 55 and 64
- 65 or older
- I prefer not to answer
1- أقل من 18 سنة
2- بين 18 و 24 سنة
3- بين 25 و34 سنة
4- بين 35 و44 سنة
5- بين 45 و54 سنة
6- بين 55 و64 سنة
7- 65 سنة وأكثر
8- أفضل عدم الإجابة
CNTRY
What country are you from?
الدولة
من أي دولة أنت؟
- United Arab Emirates
- Canada
- Another country (please specify) :____________
1- الإمارات العربية المتحدة
2- كندا
3- دولة أخرى (فضلاً حدد): ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ
This concludes the survey. Thank you for your cooperation.
هذه نهاية الدراسة. شكراً لك على تعاونك.
A.4 Interview guides
|
BLOC 1 |
Introduction and explanation |
|
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Length |
2 MINUTES |
|
|
|
|
WELCOME AND PRESENTATION
Hi, let me introduce myself, my name is _____________ and I am ________________ at Léger Marketing. Léger Marketing is a public opinion and market research firm. Some of you may already know Leger Marketing from our surveys and our presence in the various media in Canada. In addition to surveys, we organize interviews and focus groups, like this one, on a variety of different topics.
PRIMARY AIM
Léger Marketing is conducting this interview on the behalf of Global Affairs Canada to obtain your opinions and perceptions about Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. Our main objective is the assessment of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, to provide an assessment of achievements against Canada’s objectives and to draw recommendations for Canada’s participation in future events of this nature.
RULES OF DISCUSSION
Nobody from the Government of Canada or from Global Affairs Canada is currently listening to this interview.
This interview is designed to encourage open and honest discussion. My role as moderator is to ask you questions and encourage you to give your opinion. I will also ensure that our discussion stays on topic and stays on schedule. Your role is to answer questions and express your opinions. I would also like to emphasize that there are no wrong answers. This is not a test of your knowledge.
Finally, I am audio-video recording the interview for analysis purposes. The recording will only be viewed by the individuals working on this project at Leger Marketing to help them write a project report for Global Affairs Canada. The recordings will not be circulated in any other way without your explicit consent.
RESULTS CONFIDENTIALITY
- The discussions we have will remain confidential at all times.
- Your name will never be mentioned in the project report.
- Information is being collected for the project purposes only.
Do you have any questions before we get started?
EXPO 2020 DUBAI CANADIAN PAVILION
On-site management team interview guide
We are conducting an evaluation of the Canadian program at Expo 2020 Dubai.
To assist us we would appreciate your answering a few quick questions. Your responses will be kept confidential, and you will not be identified.
I would like to obtain your consent to use your responses in our report and findings. Thank you.
Note role of interviewee: _______________________________
Section 1. 15 minutes
1. To what extent was Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai executed as planned? What differences occurred from the original plan? Did these differences improve or detract from the success of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai?
- To advance Canada’s diplomatic and economic interests in the MENA region
- To promote Canadian culture and values
- To showcase Canada as a destination for investment, education and tourism
For each PROBE: What tells you that these objectives were or were not achieved?
3. Give me an example of when it all came together, and things were working well? What were the contributing factors?
What features of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai (including both on-site and web-based) exceeded expectations?
PROBE: Why?
On the contrary, what elements of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai (on site or online) did not fully meet expectations?
PROBE: Why?
4. In your opinion, did the Canada Pavilion experience adequately communicate to visitors that Canada is...
- …A country that is at the forefront of innovation in various fields: AI, space and aerospace, health, agriculture, and oceans and fisheries?
- …A country that is an ideal destination for trade, investment, education, tourism and immigration?
- …A reliable economic partner?
For each PROBE: What makes you say that?
Section 2. 13 minutes
5. Do you believe that the operation of the Canada Pavilion is delivering on sustainable operations (LEED standards, waste management, greening practices.)?
5.1 Is there anything that could have been better managed with respect to sustainability practices at the Pavilion?
PROBE: What makes you say that?
6. Were there adjustments made during Canada’s presence at Expo 2020 to better support Canada’s participation? Could others have been made?
PROBE: Can you explain what motivated these changes?
7. If there were three changes that you could make to Canada’s participation at Expo what would they be?
Thank you very much for your participation.
EXPO 2020 DUBAI CANADIAN PAVILION (DWD)
Pavilion staff interview guide
We are conducting an evaluation of the Canadian program at Expo 2020 Dubai.
To assist us we would appreciate your answering a few quick questions. Your responses will be kept confidential, and you will not be identified.
I would like to obtain your consent to use your responses in our report and findings. Thank you.
Note role of interviewee: _______________________________
Section 1. 15 minutes
1. Canada had three key objectives for Expo 2020 Dubai. Tell me the extent to which each of the objectives was achieved. What tells you that they were or were not achieved?
- To advance Canada’s diplomatic and economic interests in the MENA region
- To promote Canadian culture and values
- To showcase Canada as a destination or investment, education and tourism
2. In your opinion, did the Canada Pavilion experience adequately communicate to visitors that Canada is…
- …A country that is at the forefront of innovation in various fields: AI, space and aerospace, health, agriculture, and oceans and fisheries?
- …A country that is an ideal destination for trade, investment, education, tourism and immigration?
- …A reliable economic partner?
For each PROBE: What makes you say that?
3. Give me an example of when things were working very well – when you felt you were meeting Canada’s objectives at Expo. What factors contributed to things working well?
4. What were some of the challenges you encountered?
Section 2. 13 minutes
5. Do you believe that the operation of the Canada Pavilion is delivering on sustainable operations (LEED standards, waste management, greening practices.)?
5.1 Is there anything that could have been better managed with respect to sustainability practices at the Pavilion? PROBE: What makes you say that?
6. Were there adjustments made during Canada’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai to better support Canada’s participation? Could others have been made?
PROBE: Can you explain what motivated these changes?
7. If there were three changes that you could make to Canada’s participation at Expo what would they be?
Thank you very much for your participation.
EXPO 2020 DUBAI EVALUATION
PARTNERS INTERVIEW GUIDE
We are conducting an evaluation of the Canadian program at Expo 2020 Dubai.
To assist us we would appreciate your answering a few quick questions. Your responses will be kept confidential, and you will not be identified.
I would like to obtain your consent to use your responses in our report and findings. Thank you.
Note role of interviewee: _______________________________
Section 1. 10 minutes
1.What was the nature of your partnership with the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai?
PROBE for reasons: increased business opportunities, making initial connections, networking, solidifying existing connections, any other reasons?
2. What are/were your activities or contributions to the Canada Pavilion or the Expo site?
PROBE: meeting with people in the VIP lounge, meeting with others off-site, any other activities?
3. What support did you receive from the Canada Pavilion?
3. What is/was your total investment in this effort?
(Human resources and direct dollar contribution)
Section 2. 10 minutes
4. To what extent are you achieving/did you achieve your objectives?
We are interested in obtaining specific information regarding the extent to which you think your investment will result/or has already resulted in returns for you.
5. Are you anticipating that the effort and resources will result in follow-ups and contacts?
6. To what extent do you think the Expo 2020 will contribute to expanded opportunities in Canada and/or internationally? What aspects contributed the most?
Section 3. 10 minutes
7. Were there any aspects of your partnership with the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 that could have been changed?
PROBE: Why?
8. If there were three changes that you could make to the Canada Pavilion and its services what would they be?
9. Would you consider using Expo as a venue to further your mandate in the future?
Thank you very much for your participation.
EXPO 2020 DUBAI EVALUATION
SENIOR OFFICIALS INTERVIEW GUIDE
We are conducting an evaluation of the Canadian program at Expo 2020 Dubai.
To assist us we would appreciate your answering a few quick questions. Your responses will be kept confidential, and you will not be identified.
I would like to obtain your consent to use your responses in our report and findings. Thank you.
Note role of interviewee: _______________________________
Section 1. 10 minutes
1. To what extent was Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai executed as planned? What differences occurred from the original plan? Did these differences improve or detract from the success of Canada’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai?
2. Canada had three key objectives for Expo 2020. Tell me the extent to which each of the objectives was achieved.
- To advance Canada’s diplomatic and economic interests in the MENA region
- To promote Canadian culture and values
- To showcase Canada as a destination for investment, education and tourism
For each PROBE: What tells you that these objectives were or were not achieved?
Section 2. 10 minutes
3.
What features of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai (including both on-site and web-based) exceeded expectations?
PROBE: Why?
On the contrary, what elements of Canada’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai (on site or online) did not fully meet expectations?
Do you have any comments on the role of the Canadian mission to the World Expo and how it may or may not have contributed to your goals?
PROBE: Why?
3.2 What support did you receive from the Canada Pavilion?
4. To what extent are you achieving/did you achieve your objectives?
Can you explain in detail what has been achieved?
5. To what extent do you think the Expo 2020 Dubai will contribute to expanded opportunities in Canada and/or internationally? What aspects contributed the most?
Section 3. 8 minutes
6. Were there adjustments made during Canada’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai to better support Canada’s participation? Could others have been made?
PROBE: Can you explain what motivated these changes?
7. Thinking about your interaction with the team at the Canada Pavilion, were there any thing that could have been changed?
PROBE: Why?
8. If there were three changes that you could make to Canada’s participation at Expo what would they be?
Thank you very much for your participation
A.5 Screening guide
WEB RECRUITMENT
Hi (INSERT CONTACT NAME),
my name is ____ of Léger, a national research firm in Canada, and we have been mandated by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai team (DWD) to conduct a targeted stakeholder consultation over the next few weeks. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the performance of the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Your name and contact information has been provided to us by the Canadian Team at Expo 2020 Dubai (DWD) because you were (INSERT ROLE) in the context of the World Expo; and I am reaching out following your positive response in having a short conversation to share your perspectives and opinion to review the performance of the Canada Pavilion.
First of all, I would like to thank you for agreeing to talk with us. Your participation is very appreciated and will be a great help to the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai team.
Would you be available for a 30-minute call sometime this INSERT DATE AND TIME OPTIONS?
If neither of these moments works in your schedule, please provide us with other options that would work better for you.
Again, please rest assured that the conversations will be confidential and that nobody from the DWD team will participate.
Kind regards,
INSERT SIGNATURE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUED COLLABORATION!
If needed, provide contact information to verify integrity of the research:
Public Opinion Research and Consultation Team
Global Affairs Canada
Email: POR-ROP@international.gc.ca
Telephone: (343) 541-9808
PHONE RECRUITMENT
Good morning/afternoon, my name is ____ of Léger, a national research firm in Canada. Am I speaking with INSERT CONTACT NAME?
- IF NO: Ask to speak with the contact person.
If not available or willing to take part, thank and terminate phone call.
Once the appropriate person is on the line, continue:
Good morning/afternoon, my name is ____ of Léger, a national research firm in Canada and we have been mandated by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai team (DWD) to conduct a targeted stakeholder consultation over the next few weeks. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the performance of the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Your name and contact information has been provided to us by the Canadian Team at Expo 2020 Dubai (DWD) because you were (INSERT ROLE) in the context of the World Expo; and I am reaching out following your positive response in having a short conversation to share your perspectives and opinion to review the performance of the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
First of all, I would like to thank you for agreeing to talk with us. Your participation is very appreciated and will be a great help to the Canadian Expo 2020 Dubai team.
I am contacting you today to schedule our conversation. Is there a convenient time for you to have this 30-minute discussion?
Make the appointment DATE AND TIME.
Again, please rest assured that the conversations will be confidential and that nobody from the DWD team will participate.
Kind regards,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR VALUED COLLABORATION!
If needed, provide contact information to verify integrity of the research:
Public Opinion Research and Consultation Team
Global Affairs Canada
Email: POR-ROP@international.gc.ca
Telephone: (343) 541-9808