According to a recent article in CBC News, Canada has officially declined an invitation from the South Korean government to participate in Expo 2012, saying it can’t afford to attend the World’s Fair.
The reason? Canada isn’t as popular as its peers:
A Harris-Decima report commissioned for Heritage Canada following Canada’s participation in Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, indicated that Canada is not a top draw at world expositions.
Expo 2010 was attended by 246 countries and international organizations, including a record 73 million visitors, but Canada was not viewed as a priority stop for visitors, said the report.
The pavilions for Japan, United States, France, Germany and England were the major draws, said the report.
Interest in the Canadian pavilion did increase, however, when world-renowned Canadian performers Cirque du Soleil arrived, the report said.
“The shallow understanding of Canada, of Canadians and what is unique about Canada hinders top-of-mind interest in visiting the Canadian pavilion,” said the report.
Read the full article here.
{ SOURCE: CBC.ca }
