In recent times, the Expo 2020 Dubai event held at the beginning of 2022 has been one of the best global showcases for the Cayman Islands and all the wonderful opportunities living, working and visiting here brings people. All who took part agreed that having a seat at this prestigious event was a remarkable achievement for our jurisdiction. It meant that millions of visitors from more than 190 nations around the world could learn about how we entertain our visitors, how we work and how we live in the Cayman Islands. Cayman residents were proud to be able to spread the word far and wide about this very special location.
As a British Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands was permitted to partner with the UK and was able to share the UK’s space at the 2020 Expo (which had been delayed due to Covid and so took place from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022), giving residents from Cayman the chance to use this valuable platform to reach out to the Expo’s millions of visitors, sharing the good news about all the advantages of living in our island paradise.
The Cayman Islands Government’s Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development led the Cayman contingent, in partnership with the United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade. In addition, the Ministry worked closely the Governor’s Office and also the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, to ensure Cayman received maximum exposure at the Expo. Cayman was able to share the UK Pavilion, which was based in the Opportunity District, and which was open from 10am to 10pm every day, thereby affording plenty of opportunity to spread the word far and wide about our amazing islands.There, they created a static display for one day in January, February and March 2022. January’s display focussed on visiting the Cayman Islands, with interactive content that celebrated the warm welcome that we offer our visitors, while at the same time encouraging them to take another look at this fantastic vacation destination.
The second display in February highlighted how business operates in the Cayman Islands, and in particular, told the world about the superlative legal and financial system that has been the backbone to Cayman’s standing in the business community as a global financial centre of excellence. Our tax neutrality and absence of corporation and property taxes have helped to create an enviable business climate in which to operate and our team of professional service providers have ensured that we deliver a world class service that cannot be beaten. Cayman also offers attractive residency options, which means that people meeting the right criteria who currently live anywhere in the world can apply to live in Cayman. It is exciting, therefore, that the dream can absolutely become a reality.
In March, Cayman representatives put a presentation together that showcased life in the Cayman Islands. It helped visitors appreciate the three Cayman Islands – Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman – in their entirety, looking at what makes each of the three islands so unique. It promoted the incredibly high standard of living residents enjoy, the safety and security of all three islands, the world class healthcare facilities on our doorstep, the first class communications and travel infrastructure that we possess, and the unique art, culture, heritage, music and cuisine that all combine to make the Cayman Islands one of the most special places on the planet.
Taking to heart the Expo’s main theme: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, Cayman residents also participated in the UK’s ‘Breakthrough Moments’ eventsthat explored what the future might look like. These included a healthcare-themed event in January, and a look at food security in February. Participating in such forward-thinking sessions helped to elevate the Cayman Islands even further on the global stage, showing the world what an innovative place it is, in which to live, conduct business and to vacation.
This was the first time that a British Overseas Territory had taken part in a World Expo and, due to the tremendous success all round, it is definitely the type of experience that the Cayman Islands Government anticipates exploring again in the future.
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