The audiovisual immersive experience of the Portugal Pavilion at Expo Dubai, the result of an investment of about two million euros, attracts visitors by telling the story of the “world in a country”, written with traditional elements to show in the Middle East.

The responsibility to make “feel Portugal” at Expo Dubai, through an immersive audiovisual experience, was given to the Porto company GEMA, which won the tender of the Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency (AICEP) to develop the exhibition contents for 1,800 square meters (m2) of the Portugal Pavilion, under the motto “the world in a country”.

GEMA’s commercial director, Francisco Portal, explained to Lusa that with an investment of around two million euros, the company is responsible for creating audiovisual content for the walls and ceiling of the pavilion, in a story that begins with the construction of the tile, an element that unites Arab and Portuguese culture.

“[The 360º experience] has tiles as a common thread, which are one of the references of Arab culture in Portugal, and the narrative begins with the construction of a tile panel of 360 [degrees],” he explained. When the tile panel is concluded, the ‘trip to Portugal’ begins, which works as a visiting card of the country in Expo Dubai.

According to Francisco Portal, the feedback they have received is “excellent” and the company has already been contacted with requests for budgets and partnerships.

“The ‘feedback’ we have had from people visiting the pavilions is that ours has been really one of the best, for the spectacularity, the emotion, the transmission of values and the interest that people have had in visiting Portugal,” he said. “This is a job of great responsibility, because it was in our hands to show Portugal to the world, that is, the world in a country, but to translate that into images, into concepts, into experiences and something that would really stay in people’s memory,” he added.

The operation involved 15 tons of material transported to Dubai, 40 people working remotely to produce the contents and 20 people working in the Emirate, to produce and install the scenography and audiovisual equipment.

Lusa

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