Expo 2010 will be held from May through the end of October, typically a time of plum rains, floods and typhoons in Shanghai. To keep people informed, a hi-tech 2,000-square-meter weather station at the United Nations World Meteorological Organization pavilion will beam updated weather forecasts free to mobile phones. Forecasts will be updated every one to three hours, except during the city's plum rain and typhoon seasons, when the station will issue weather alerts every half hour, said Xu Xiaofeng, Deputy Director of the China Meteorological Administration and Commissioner General of the organization's exhibition. A large screen in front of the pavilion or on the pavilion's website will also broadcast the weather. Organizers expect the meteorological pavilion alone to attract 40,000 people a day. It will be the first weather pavilion in the World Expo's 157-year history.

Officials hope the World Expo will relieve the heavy burden of unemployment. On March 2, Shanghai Expo organizers announced the availability of hundreds of internships for this year's university graduates.

More than 1,000 jobs are also being offered, with training set to begin this autumn. More spots will be made available over the winter. The positions will be in 13 categories and suit students with knowledge in foreign languages, marketing, media, architecture, engineering, secretarial services and other skills, according to Xu Weiguo, an official with the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

The organizers plan an online Expo that will allow people around the world access to the event. Expo Shanghai Online is being touted as one of the many anticipated highlights that will revolutionize the traditional way of presenting a world exposition. Touring Expo Shanghai Online, visitors can interact with organizers and participants on the Internet to suit their different interests and demands, said Zhu.

Expo visitors will find locations to get information, deposit personal articles, make reservations, find tour guides or lost children and get other services for those with special needs.

Tickets for the World Expo 2010 will go on sale for groups on March 27 and for the public on July 1. The basic ticket price will be 160 yuan ($22.40). Foreigners will be able to buy tickets from overseas outlets authorized by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

Effects of the financial crisis

As of March 2009, 185 countries as well as 46 international organizations have confirmed they will participate in the 2010 World Expo, surpassing the original expected number of 200. Some, though, wonder whether all the countries will make it to Shanghai next year, considering the world's economic problems.

"The global financial crisis will have only a limited impact on the Shanghai World Expo 2010," said Wan Jifei, Vice Director of the Shanghai World Expo Executive Committee, at a press conference of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on March 8.

Although some of the participants are having difficulty raising funds, none of them have quit yet, said Wan. "China is willing to offer assistance to help them cut costs and increase efficiency," he said.

Countries like Iceland, which have suffered greatly from the financial woes, signed participation contracts with Expo organizers. Iceland plans to use the Expo as an opportunity to rejuvenate its economy, Wan said.

Zhou Hanmin, another Deputy Director of the Executive Committee, said the organizers have set up a special $100-million fund to help participating developing countries.

According to Zhou, the budget for the Expo includes 18 billion yuan ($2.6 billion) for venue construction and an operating fund of 10.6 billion yuan ($1.55 billion). The event, though, will help boost economic growth in the city and across China, he said.

Cheng Yuechong, Vice Mayor of Ningbo City in the eastern province of Zhejiang and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said the Shanghai Expo would become a "thruster" to push forward the integration and development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

Cities in the Yangtze River Delta region should pool their resources together to host a successful exhibition, he said.

"It's hopeful the World Expo Shanghai will be a precious opportunity to help China overcome economic difficulties and lift the world out of the shadow of the crisis," said Zhao Qizheng, head of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, a working organ of the National Committee of the CPPCC, at a speech to the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee.

As an example, Zhao said, the 1933 World Expo in the U.S. city of Chicago attracted nearly 23 million people and created about 100,000 jobs directly and indirectly.