Almost 900,000 people visited the Serbian pavilion "Floating Forest" at EXPO 2025 in Osaka

Estimates say that by the end of the exhibition, the number of visitors will exceed one million, which is strong evidence that Serbia has something to show the world at the upcoming EXPO 2027 exhibition.

The organizers of the world exhibition EXPO 2025 in Osaka have sold as many as 21.4 million tickets by September 12 - far above the break-even point of around 18 million, according to today's announcement of EXPO 2027.

This means that the total costs of organization and construction of the infrastructure are already fully covered, so the media reports that everything that follows represents pure profit and long-term gain for the host.

Every day, more than 200,000 people cross the gates of Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay, and the record was broken in mid-September, when more than 218,000 visits were recorded in one day.

In recent months, one can hear that international exhibitions are an outdated story and that "nobody goes to the EXPO anymore", but it is enough to look at the scenes from Osaka.

Doubts can be heard from time to time in Serbia as well - from opposition criticism that it is a too expensive and risky venture, to comments on social networks that question whether EXPO 2027 will really attract millions of visitors.

• Vučić: 880,000 people have visited Serbian pavilion, we expect it to exceed 1.1 million

This is exactly why the experience from Osaka refutes the claims that "crowds are invented" and that EXPO is losing its importance. On the contrary, the queues in Japan show that this manifestation is still one of the biggest cultural and business spectacles on the planet, the announcement indicates.

As it was pointed out, Serbia is not organizing a world exhibition in 2027, but a specialized exhibition - a format that lasts three months and which throughout history recorded between four and eight million visits.

Astana in 2017 attracted about four million people, Zaragoza in 2008 almost six million, and Yeosu in 2012 more than eight million.

When the organizers of the specialized exhibition EXPO 2027 Belgrade say that they expect around six million visitors, they are not referring to mere wishes, but to the verified results of previous hosts, it was stated in the announcement.

It is enough to look at your own experience in Osaka - the multi-awarded Serbian pavilion "Floating Forest" has already been visited by almost 900,000 people, and estimates say that by the end of the exhibition, the number of visits will exceed one million, which, as pointed out, is more than a strong reference for a country like ours and proof that Serbia has something to show the world.

EXPO is by nature a global event that attracts visitors from all over the world. Although the majority of the audience in Osaka is made up of local and regional guests, as many as 13 percent come from abroad - which means millions of people who travel thousands of kilometers to be part of the event.

For Belgrade 2027, it is a clear sign that, in addition to domestic and regional audiences, a strong influx of visitors from Europe and other parts of the world is expected - and such a combination makes the goal of exceeding six million visitors more than completely achievable.

The example of Dubai proves that those are realistic estimates: EXPO 2020 had more than 24 million visits, of which a significant percentage was the international audience - in some months, up to 28 percent of visitors came directly from abroad.

This trend shows that when the offer is globally positioned and attractive, the world comes. This is exactly how Serbia will become a destination in 2027 to which millions of people will come - not only from the region, but from all over the world, the press release points out and adds that the crowds in Osaka and the records from Dubai show that the world still believes in the magic of the EXPO.

"In 2027, Serbia faces a historic challenge - and a unique opportunity. It is the moment when we become more than a host: Belgrade becomes a global stage of innovation, culture and hospitality," the statement concludes, adding that EXPO 2027 is not just an event, but a historical turning point that puts Serbia on the map of the future, as a country that knows how to attract the world, unite it around the game and leave a legacy that lasts for generations.