Geneva Motor Show to take place in Qatar

The Geneva International Motor Show event planned for Geneva in February 2023 will not take place and will be held in Doha, Qatar in November. 

”Due to the uncertainties in the global economy and geopolitics, as well as the risks related to the development of the pandemic, the organisers have decided to focus exclusively on the planning of the event in Doha in 2023,” said Maurice Turrettini, President of the foundation Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile de Genève. 

In a statement, the board confirmed that the original plan to hold the show in two parts, the first from 14-19 February at Palexpo in Geneva and the second in Doha in November had been shelved. ”We have done everything possible to ensure that we could host GIMS 2023 in Geneva in February. The enhanced event format and project had been very well received. But in the end, the risks overweighed the opportunities,” said Turrettini.

The full statement below:

Geneva International Motor Show 2023: Focus exclusively on QatarBern/Geneva, 18 August 2022.

The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) will be held exclusively in Doha, Qatar, in 2023. The event planned for Geneva in February 2023 will not take place, the ”Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile de Genève ” foundation announced today with regret. “Due to the uncertainties in the global economy and geopolitics, as well as the risks related to the development of the pandemic, the organisers have decided to focus exclusively on the planning of the event in Doha in 2023”, says Maurice Turrettini, President of the foundation “Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile de Genève”.

Decision due to lack of predictabilityThe GIMS will be held exclusively in Qatar in 2023, the members of the Committee and the Foundation Board of the “Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile de Genève” decided today at a meeting in Bern. The original plan was to hold GIMS 2023 in two editions, the first from 14 to 19 February 2023 at Palexpo in Geneva and the second – a world premiere – in November in Doha, Qatar.”We have done everything possible to ensure that we could host GIMS 2023 in Geneva in February. The enhanced event format and project had been very well received. But in the end, the risks overweighed the opportunities,” says Maurice Turrettini.

A brand with a promising future”Our team has worked very hard to ensure that GIMS 2023 can take place in both Geneva and Doha,” continues Sandro Mesquita, CEO of the Geneva International Motor Show, adding, “In these uncertain times, many brands are not in a position to commit to participating in a show in Europe in the winter. After assessing all the elements, it has become clear to the foundation that the 2023 Salon cannot take place in Geneva as planned. For the brands that wanted to participate in Geneva, the fans and the loyal visitors to our Geneva Salon, we regret that we had to decide to cancel this 2023 edition.”

World premiere in DohaThe first edition of the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar will take place in November 2023 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) as well as several other decentralised venues, and will offer many unique and spectacular driving experiences. “We are now fully focused on organising GIMS in Doha and look forward to confirming the dates and format of this ground-breaking event with our partners at Qatar Tourism shortly,” concludes Sandro Mesquita. The Qatar event is scheduled to take place every two years.