Last week the Norwegian Pavilion surpassed 1,5 million visitors. This marks halfway to the original estimate of three million visitors. If the visitor rate continues in the same fashion, the Norwegian Pavilion may be experienced by almost four million people before the end of EXPO on October 31.
- With 20.000 visitors each day, we have reached 1,5 million mark faster than expected. The audience enjoy the openness in the Norwegian Pavilion and the fresh feeling the wooden structure provides. In addition to that we have a unique multimedia show with Secret Garden that runs every evening, which is very popular with the visitors, says Arild H. Blixrud, Commissioner General, Norway at EXPO.
Close contact with the world’s most populous country
The Norwegian and Chinese guides welcome the guests and guide them through Norway’s contribution to the largest World EXPO ever. Ninety per cent of the visitors are Chinese. One of the most popular activities is to take photos with the guides. Yan Lu is one of the guides in the Norway Pavilion. Yan is born in China and speaks fluent Mandarin, but grew up in Norway. He describes working for the EXPO as a unique experience.
- It is both challenging and exciting working as a guide at EXPO. A lot of the Chinese visitors wonder how it has been for me as an ethnic Chinese growing up in Norway, and this I think is fun to talk about. After a day at work you are quite tired of being exposed to huge crowds of people, but in general the visitors to the Norwegian Pavilion are positive and curious. The wooden structure makes a deep impression on most people, says Yan Lu.
Information about Norway added in the queuing area
Every day there is a long queue in front of the Norwegian Pavilion. Recently new signs have been put up in the queuing area giving an introduction to Norway and what visitors will see inside the pavilion.
- We hope that this will give some background information before they enter the pavilion and also make the waiting a little bit more entertaining, says Philip Lote, Communication Director, Norway at EXPO.