The UAE’s return to normality after Covid-19 – The National

The UAE’s return to normality after Covid-19 – The National

At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, much like the rest of the world, the UAE has had to somewhat quell its appetite for events and large gatherings that in ordinary years would be a staple on the country's eclectic official social and cultural calendar.

The annual time for horse races and showy hats, for example, has had to be on hold. The 2020 race was cancelled and the 2021 event was staged behind closed doors due to the pandemic. But people's desire for normality was illustrated, in part, this weekend. After a two-year hiatus, the 26th Dubai World Cup pulled in large crowds at the Meydan Racecourse, putting to use much of its capacity to seat 80,000 people.

The event of the season though, now in its final days, is seeing a surge in the number of people turning up to, presumably, make the most of a landmark event in a country's history. The crowds at the Expo 2020 Dubai, 1.8 million in a particular week this month, may have far surpassed numbers at every other event in the country.