Expo 2025 Osaka – A Personal Journey Through Climadiversity and Global Connection

Expo 2025 Osaka, held on Yumeshima Island, undoubtedly stands as one of the most ambitious global exhibitions of this decade. The World Expo brings together nations to present visions for the future of humanity.
　The architectural masterpiece, the Grand Ring, symbolizes unity and circular sustainability, while the official mascot Myaku-Myaku, a character symbolizing cells, water, and continuous transformation, became an instantly recognizable icon of the event worldwide.
　Over six months, Expo 2025 attracted more than 29 million visitors, including Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, Princes, and high-ranking officials from across the globe.

Croatia at Expo 2025: Silver Award for Theme Development

As Director of the Croatian Pavilion within the Shared Pavilion (Saving Lives Zone), I had the honor of representing the Republic of Croatia during this historic event. When we received the Silver Award for Theme Development, I felt immense pride, not only personally, but on behalf of Croatia as it was the first time in its history to receive a prestigious Expo Award. Competing alongside nations from across the world, our concept stood out because it was authentic, experiential, and deeply connected to identity. Croatia won the Silver Award in the ‘Shared Pavilions – Saving Lives’ category of the Theme Development Awards, in recognition of the originality and coherence of our concept: Climadiversity.

Climadiversity – A Concept Created for Expo

For Expo 2025 Osaka, we introduced a new word: Climadiversity.
　It represents the diversity of climates that, over centuries, have shaped ecosystems, architecture, traditions, and human identities in Croatia. Within a relatively small geographical territory, Croatia embodies Mediterranean, continental, mountainous, and microclimatic zones. The Pavilion translated this reality into a living sensory environment:

• Real-time temperatures from 45 meteorological stations
• 500 water-filled tubes visitors could touch
• Live thermal camera imaging allowing guests to see their own body heat

　

　

Visitors did not simply observe the Pavilion—they experienced it physically. Each guest chose their preferred “climate position” according to metabolism, mood, and personal comfort. The Pavilion became particularly popular because of its tactile openness. In a world of standardized indoor environments, we offered difference. And difference created dialogue.

From Aichi 2005 to Osaka 2025 – A 20-Year Expo Journey

My relationship with Expo started in 2004, when I became the Representative of the Republic of Croatia for Expo 2005 Aichi. I was responsible for negotiations and preparations of the Croatian Pavilion. Once the Expo officially opened and the Commissioner General from Croatia arrived with the national delegation, I transitioned into the role of Head of Public Relations. I spent months promoting Croatia, its culture, its identity, its tourism potential to a global audience gathered in Japan. Croatia doubled Japanese tourists‘arrivals the next year, and that was the trigger Croatian National Tourist Board offered me in 2007 the opportunity to continue promoting Croatia as the Director of Japanese office to be opened.

Years later, during Expo 2020 Dubai, my agency GOOD IDEA LLC was chosen as the official representative office in Japan. That experience strengthened my understanding of how Expo operates not only as a showcase, but as a strategic diplomatic and economic platform.
　Expo 2025 Osaka therefore felt like a full circle moment, twenty years of experience converging in one extraordinary event.

Tourism Impact: Expo as a Catalyst

EXPO 2025 Osaka World Exposition showcased it is a great tourism growth opportunity for the host country and Japanese dedication to the organization proved it benefited both, International and Domestic travel.

1. Inbound Tourism Growth
   • Increased long-haul travel motivated by a once-in-a-generation event
   • Extended stays combining Expo visits with Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, and Tokyo
   • High-level diplomatic visits boosting international visibility
2. Domestic Travel Expansion
   • Strong interregional mobility within Japan
   • Boosted Kansai hospitality occupancy
   • Increased rail and airline passenger volumes

World Expos create a unique psychological urgency to travel—an effect rarely achieved by standard tourism campaigns.

Lessons for Future Host Destinations

Based on my comparative experience across three World Expos, key recommendations for maximizing tourism ROI include:

1. Integrated regional promotion strategies – avoid host-city isolation.
2. Experience-driven pavilion design – increase memorability and social media diffusion.
3. Data capture mechanisms – convert Expo visitors into repeat tourists.
4. Sustainability alignment – position the destination within long-term global priorities.

Croatia’s Climadiversity concept demonstrates how even smaller nations can leverage Expo participation for durable brand differentiation.

Conclusion

Expo 2025 Osaka reaffirmed the strategic relevance of World Expositions within the global tourism economy.
For Japan, the event reinforced its positioning as:

• A technologically advanced society
• A sustainable innovation leader
• A culturally immersive destination

For Croatia, the Silver Award recognition validated a concept-driven nation-branding approach rooted in environmental identity.

From a tourism research standpoint, Expo 2025 Osaka illustrates that World Expos remain one of the few global platforms capable of simultaneously stimulating:

• Immediate visitor flows
• Regional economic multipliers
• Long-term destination equity

In an increasingly competitive tourism landscape, such multidimensional impact mechanisms are not simply symbolic – they are strategic assets.