After its presence in just a little less than 120 years, the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) has driven into the sunset. The show has now been cancelled indefinitely, as confirmed by the organisers via a social media post.
GIMS faced a lot of challenges during the COVID-19 era, with as many as four consecutive editions coming to a halt due to the pandemic. Even though the show did make a comeback earlier this year, it did not see much success as only a handful of OEMs were present. On the other hand, the organisers started a parallel show in Qatar back in 2023, which will go on as scheduled and will take place in November this year.
The auto industry has, in the recent past, been witness to a sharp fall in interest in such shows, be it in India or abroad. While GIMS was called off owing to, as claimed by its organisers, ongoing industry challenges and competition, the loss of interest from OEMs and visitors alike has been a cause of concern. Over the last few years, multiple brands have been giving these shows a miss, and this drop in number is only expected to increase going ahead.
In India too, various manufacturers have skipped the Auto Expo, instead holding an event of similar scale around the same time. The reasons behind this move vary, be it the high investment cost-to-return ratio, losing eyeballs amidst competition, or even the lack of market-relevant products to showcase. With the Indian government now taking a step further by merging the Bharat Mobility Expo with the Auto Expo early next year, it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for these shows.