The 90th edition of the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), which should have welcomed media representatives from next Monday and the general public from March 5 to 15, 2020, will not take place. This is due to an order issued by the Federal Council on February 28, 2020, according to which no events with more than 1000 people may take place in the days leading up to March 15, 2020. This sanction comes just three days (!) before the opening of the GIMS (Geneva International Motor Show) for media representatives.
No choice
The organizers accept this decision: "We regret this situation, but the health of everyone involved is an absolute priority for us and our exhibitors. This is a case of force majeure. For the exhibitors, who have invested heavily in their presence in Geneva, this is a bitter loss.
However, we are convinced that all those affected will understand this decision. We would like to thank all those who have worked to make this 90th edition a reality. The GIMS 2020 could have been a great event," said Maurice Turrettini, President of the Board of Trustees.
Now the dismantling begins
The opening of the event is just a few days away and the construction of the stands is almost complete. Just a week ago, during the press conferences announcing the 2020 edition, there was nothing to suggest that such a measure would be necessary. The situation changed with the emergence of the first confirmed cases of coronavirus in Switzerland and the Federal Council's decree of 28.02.2020. The event is being canceled as a result of this decision.
Now the dismantling has to be organized. The financial consequences for everyone involved in the event are considerable and will be assessed in the coming weeks. One thing is certain: the tickets sold for the event will be refunded. The organizers will provide information about the procedure on their website as soon as possible.
Only time will tell whether the Geneva Motor Show, which has already had to fight for its survival, will be able to recover from this tragedy!
