Expo enthusiasm is due to hit another high note as the Saudi Arabian Pavilion (Moon Boat), one of the most popular pavilions during last year's Shanghai Expo, is set to reopen from Sept. 28 until Oct. 27. Having generated queues as long as 4,000 meters during the Expo, the pavilion's second appearance in the limelight is unlikely to grant Shanghai's professional queues many gigs. The authorities have decided to distribute all tickets through travel agencies for the first month of the pavilion's operation. Many travel agencies - including SH Holiday, Shanghai Spring Travel Service and Shanghai Jinjiang Travel - have rushed to sell Saudi Pavilion-themed tours, ranging from a down-to-earth half-day trip (RMB69-80) to a high-flying Saudi Pavilion-plus-hairy crab East China tour (around RMB 5,000). "Probably because the Saudi Pavilion has a very high reputation in Shanghai, Shanghai residents have given a much warmer response than tourists from other part of East China," Yu Dan, assistant to general manager at SH Holiday, told Xinmin Evening News. While no individual visitors will be admitted to the Moon, the best choice for self-guided tourists is the ticket-plus-one way bus package (from RMB 75) at the Shanghai Tourist Distribution Center Visitors must show valid identification to purchase tickets and enter the pavilion. As much as the re-opening is causing a buzz, the authorities have yet to announce the exhibits inside the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, or the closing date of the rerun. However, they're confident about the visitor volume as a traffic-control policy has been released ahead of time - a maximum of 1,400 people will be allowed into the pavilion in one hour. The Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which received a total of 4,379,947 visitors during the six-month Shanghai Expo, is the only foreign Expo pavilion designed by a Chinese architect. It is the second pavilion to re-open - following China Pavilion - after Shanghai Expo rang down the curtain on Oct. 31.
