It would appear that the Geneva International Motor Show, once one of the world’s great automotive expos, is no more.
In May, organisers of the event announced the show, which debuted in 1905, would close its doors noting ‘there are too many uncertainties linked to the automotive industr and the eroded attractiveness of the major European shows to take the risk of investing further into the future’.
At its peak, the Show took up more than 120,000 square metres of hall space and hosted 120 exhibitors, thousands of international journalists during press days, and more than 600,000 visitors over its 11-day run.
The last Show, held in February this year after a four-year absence due to COVID, mustered up 37 exhibitors, 157 vehicles, and 168,000 visitors.
“This extremely regrettable decision should not detract from the efforts and determination with which we have tried to regain our success,” said Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Comite permanent du Salon international de l’automobile Foundation, in a statement. “However, it has to be said that the lack of interest shown by manufacturers in the Geneva Salon in a difficult industry context, the competition from the Paris and Munich shows which are favored by their domestic industry, and the investment levels required to maintain such a show, sound the final blow for a future edition.”
A spin-off of the Geneva Show was launched in Qatar in 2023, with the next edition to run in November 2025.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (June 2024)
1 July 2024