The Comité permanent du Salon international de l'automobile de Genève foundation has announced that the 2023 Geneva Motor Show will exclusively happen in Doha, Qatar. That means that the event that's supposed to happen in Geneva in February 2023 has been canceled.
"Due to the uncertainties in the global economy and geopolitics, as well as the risks related to the development of the pandemic, the organizers have decided to focus exclusively on the planning of the event in Doha in 2023," said Maurice Turettini, President of the foundation.
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As confirmed back in April, the 2023 Geneva Motor Show was supposed to happen from February 14 to 19. Turettini said that they've done everything they can to push through with the Geneva event that was supposed to come with an enhanced format. However, " the risks overweighed the opportunities," Turettini concluded.
The 2023 Geneva International Motor Show in Qatar will make its world debut in November 2023. No definite dates have been set, but it will take place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). Several other decentralized venues will be set up as well, which should offer various unique and spectacular driving experiences.
"We are now fully focused on organizing GIMS in Doha and look forward to confirming the dates and format of this ground-breaking event with our partners at Qatar Tourism shortly," added Sandro Mesquita, CEO of the Geneva International Motor Show.
The Geneva International Motor Show has been on and off again since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The announcement in 2020 was so abrupt that the organizers had to push through a virtual auto show. The last successful GIMS happened in 2019.
In 2021, the organizers of the GIMS announced the birth of a second venue for the event in Doha, Qatar. The biennial event was conceptualized in partnership with Qatar Tourism.
