Led by the Department for International Trade, the UK’s total economic spend on the pavilion is £44 million ($60.52m), says Ms Faulkner, with construction making up a large chunk of that bill.
About 25 per cent of that headline figure comes from sponsors, while people hiring the pavilion are also contributors, she says.
While it is too early to measure the economic benefit for the UK from its presence at the Expo, Ms Faulkner says UK businesses engaged in the event have generated £1.2 billion worth of contracts.
This figure represents the amount raised from supplying to the Expo host nation, with the UK still compiling data on British companies behind the supply chain of other nations.
The UK Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015 welcomed 3.3 million visitors, making it among the top paid British attractions worldwide that year and securing an economic boost worth £1bn for the UK.
This year’s event has even more significance; not only is it the biggest Expo, it is also the first to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region and the largest event ever in the Arab world.
Add in the fact that post-Brexit Britain is looking to attract more international investment and build closer trade ties with the UAE and wider GCC region, as well as the rest of globe, and the importance is clear to see.
