The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in several international motor shows getting cancelled in 2020. While the 2020 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show was scrapped to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, the foundation responsible for organizing the event has now decided to nix the 2021 edition and sell the show. The decision has been taken by the Committee and Council of the Foundation “Salon International de l’Automobile” due to the financial consequences of the cancellation of the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show. “A majority of GIMS (Geneva International Motor Show) exhibitors who took part in a survey, stated that they would probably not participate in a 2021 edition in and that they would prefer to have a GIMS in 2022.
The automotive sector is currently going through a difficult phase, and exhibitors need time to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” the foundation said in an official statement dated June 29. “Furthermore, it is far from certain that the current health situation would permit the organization of an event attracting more than 6,00,000 visitors and 10,000 journalists next spring,” it added. The foundation will now sell the Geneva International Motor Show, the largest public event in Switzerland, to Palexpo SA. “The aim is to find a solution that will ensure the regular organization of an international motor show in Geneva. The purchase of the assets would transfer all rights to the organization of GIMS to Palexpo SA,” the foundation said.
