The Paris-based Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) will announce the host for the World EXPO 2020 today Hurriyetdailynews reported.
There are four contestant cities: Turkey's İzmir, Russia's Ekaterinburg, the UAE's Dubai and Brazil's Sao Paulo for EXPO.
Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said on Nov. 25 that Turkish delegations at the ministerial level, ministry representatives, EXPO authorities, embassies and the business world had held talks with 97 percent of 167 BIE member countries.
A six-month event
Izmir's theme is "New Routes to a Better World / Health for All." İzmir's climate, geographical position, historical richness, transportation and organizational capacity were emphasized during the talks, the officials said.
The World Expo has been held every five years since the maiden edition in London in 1851.
The expositions showcase technology, architecture and culture over the six months, while drawing visitors to host cities and generating business. Yildirim stated they expected to host around 30 million visitors during the six months if İzmir hosts EXPO 2020.
Furthermore, if İzmir wins EXPO, many projects will be accomplished from 2014 to 2020. The EXPO 2020 executive committee is planning to create a 155 million euro budget. The purpose of this is to help developing countries take part in more health care and social responsibility projects.