Once the most important show in the automotive calendar, Geneva has been axed with it unlikely to make a return.
The Geneva motor show has been cancelled for 2025 with organisers ruling out its return in future years.
Making the announcement, the board of the Comite Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile Foundation said there are currently too many “uncertainties” in the automotive industry.
It believes the Swiss event cannot compete with rival shows in Paris and Munich which, it says, are more supported by car manufacturers. As a result, it has cancelled next year’s event and has concluded that “market conditions in Europe are not conducive to the success of future editions”.
Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Comite Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile Foundation said: “This extremely regrettable decision should not detract from the efforts and determination with which we have tried to regain our success.”
The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) had its first showcase in 1905, and up until 2019, had been one of the most important and influential events in the motoring diary. At its peak, it covered over 120,000 square metres and had 120 exhibitors, alongside 10,000 international journalists, followed by 600,000 visitors over 11 days.
In 2023, it was decided that the Geneva motor show would be held in Qatar in October last year, which saw 1,100 journalists and 180,000 visitors attend the event. The next Qatar show will take place in November 2025.
Sandro Mesquita, GIMS CEO said: “It’s satisfying to realise that motor shows continue to appeal to brands in different parts of the world, and that the Geneva International Motor Show has reinforced its appeal in the Middle East.”
By Cameron Richards