Geneva International Motor Show to take place in Qatar

Europe’s largest motoring event, the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) is all set to take place in Qatar.

 

In a statement Auto Express news said: “The first edition of the expo will take place in either Autumn 2022 or 2023, taking place every two years thereafter at the Doha Exhibition and Conference centre.”

As the dates for this event are not yet finalised by the organisers, they will be announced in the coming weeks. 

This decision of conducting the motor show in the Middle Eastern region comes in line with the partnership of GIMS and Qatar Tourism to organize a millennial. 

The main exhibition will be hosted from 19 to 27 September, 2022 in Switzerland.

The organisers of the event expressed their delight in conducting GIMS and stated that this will be a regular event and is ready to welcome the audience after a two-year-gap due to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19.

The event set to take place in the gulf state as been renamed as the ‘Qatar Geneva International Motor Show’.

The Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways and the Secretary-General of Qatar Tourism Akbar Al Baker highlighted that, “In line with the national strategy, Qatar National Vision 2030, we are expanding our tourism proposition to position Qatar as a world-leading destination and ensure guests enjoy the very best of Qatar.”

Al Baker said that, “In addition to extensive hotel and resort development, the refurbishment and creation of tourism assets and an expanding culinary scene, hosting internationally renowned events is an important pillar of our strategy,” he added. 

“We’re pleased to partner with the highly distinguished Geneva International Motor Show and look forward to a collaborative relationship to bring this eminent event to our shores,” he added. 

Maurice Turrettini, president of the permanent committee of GIMS, said: “we are very proud and honoured that Qatar Tourism has put their trust in us for the conception of the new motor show in Doha.”

He further added that, “our partnership is the result of very trusting and constructive discussions from day one. The joint forces with Qatar Tourism empower us to focus on the upcoming 91st edition of GIMS in February 2022, where we will be able to gather ideas and learnings for the new motor show in Doha.”

After the 2020 GIMS event was cancelled due to the epidemic, the organisers for the event rejected financial support of nearly $11.5 million from the Canton of Geneva to recover from major losses caused by the pandemic.

A statement about the rejection of loan read: “The Foundation thanks the competent authorities of the Canton and State of Geneva for their willingness to grant this loan to GIMS but does not see the terms of the loan as a guarantee of the long-term financial stability of the Foundation in its present form.”

It further stated that “the reason for this is that the Foundation would be obliged to make a repayment of 1 million Swiss francs as early as June 2021, before having had the opportunity to generate additional funds, as the GIMS 2021 edition cannot take place. It is also considered inadmissible that one condition of the loan is that an event has to be organised in 2021.”

“The loan is therefore not accepted. The Foundation has therefore decided in favour of the sale of GIMS to Palexpo SA. The aim is to find a solution that will ensure the regular organisation of an International Motor Show in Geneva. The purchase of the assets would transfer all rights to the organisation of GIMS to Palexpo SA. As a reminder, GIMS is the largest public event in Switzerland,” the statement added.