How Expo 1992 Turned Seville into a Premier Tourist Destination

More and more tourists are enjoying the charm and beauty of picturesque Seville, but to truly understand how this southern Spanish city became such a prominent destination in the second most visited country in the world, we must go back 33 years.

A Historic Turning Point

The year 1992 was a true annus mirabilis – a “miraculous year” for Spain. Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics, Madrid was named the European Capital of Culture, and Seville proudly held the World Expo from April 20 to October 12, 1992. The significance of that year is perhaps best captured by the influential newspaper El País, which wrote: “If you didn’t go to the Olympics or the Expo in 1992, you weren’t anywhere.”

Indeed, 1992 marked a historic turning point for the then-overlooked and underdeveloped capital of Andalusia. By hosting a grand World Expo, Seville sought to step into the modern era and present a new face of Spain to the world. Since then, time in Seville is often thought of as “before” and “after” Expo 1992.

Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the Americas, and themed “The Age of Discovery”, Expo 1992 in Seville attracted participation from 108 countries. For six months, 176 days, the exhibition on La Cartuja Island on the Guadalquivir River drew nearly 42 million visitors, an astonishing figure for the time.

A Surge in Tourism

The actual attendance more than doubled the organizers' expectations. Considering that Spain’s total population at the time was around 39 million, it’s easy to see why many regard the period from April to October 1992 as the most extraordinary six months in Seville’s modern history.

Thanks to its innovative architecture, rich and diverse programming (featuring artists like Paco de Lucía and B.B. King), massive infrastructure expansion, and irresistible southern charm, Seville carved out its place on the global tourism map and emerged from decades of stagnation into an era of prosperity.

For example, the A-92 highway – now a major transportation artery in Andalusia – and a high-speed rail line connecting Seville to Madrid, with trains reaching 300 km/h, were both constructed specifically for Expo 1992. The journey to the Spanish capital was significantly shortened. In addition to new bypasses, a modernized airport terminal, and renovations of surrounding areas, Seville experienced an infrastructure boom that made it more accessible than ever to both domestic and international tourists.

Research shows that this infrastructure development helped increase the number of registered air passengers from just under 97,000 in 1960 to over 1.63 million by 1990.

In other words, Expo 1992 not only marked the beginning of a strategic transformation for Seville and Andalusia into competitive tourist destinations but also laid the foundations of Seville’s modern tourism industry. Today, the city welcomes more than three million tourists annually, mainly from the United States, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy.

Expo 2027: Serbia’s Big Opportunity

Marija Labović, Director of the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia, TOS, believes that Serbia is on the right track to attract a large number of international visitors for Expo 2027.

“Our expectations for the Specialised Expo in 2027 are high, but realistic and well-founded, especially when you consider the experiences of previous host cities and Serbia’s immense potential, which I am certain we will know how to make the most of. This applies not only to tourism, which will undoubtedly see a major influx of visitors, but also to every other sector. A significant number of people will come to Belgrade for the Expo, and the country will do everything in its power to organize the event at the highest possible level and present the best image of Serbia to the world. As we often say, Expo is not just Belgrade – it’s all of Serbia. Everyone will benefit from this International Exhibition, especially through additional infrastructure investments,” Labović said.

The organizers of the Specialised Expo 2027 in Belgrade share this optimism and view Seville as a powerful example to follow.

“Just as Expo 1992 became the spark that transformed Seville into the major tourist destination it is today – an essential stop on any global traveler’s map – we believe that our Expo 2027, the first ever in the Western Balkans, will have a similar effect on the Serbian capital. Now is the perfect time to, through the celebration of play, music, and sport, once again showcase the warmth and hospitality we have long been known for across the globe –and bring the world to Serbia,” concluded Dušan Borovčanin, CEO of Expo 2027 Belgrade.