GIMS Qatar 2023. Presentation and dates of the Geneva Motor Show exported to Doha

The first GIMS Qatar, an event that originated from the Geneva Motor Show, will be held from October 5 to 14, 2023 at the Doha Exhibition Center. Animations and tests are also planned in the desert and on the Losail F1 circuit, which will host its GP at the same time. Geneva should return to its salon in 2024.

The Geneva Motor Show, formally titled GIMS (Geneva International Motor Show), will hold its first relocated edition in Qatar in 2023, although its annual meeting in Switzerland until 2019 was recently canceled for the fourth consecutive time. opportunity. This should take place next February. This inaugural GIMS Qatar, announced in 2021, will take place in the fall as planned. It will open to the public on October 5, 2023 and close on October 14.

A show outside the walls associated with F1

GIMS Qatar will be held primarily within the DECC (Doha Exhibition & Convention Center), the exhibition center of the capital Doha. Its dates have been chosen to coincide with the Qatar F1 Grand Prix, which will be held from October 6 to 8 at the Losail circuit, which is approximately 20 km north and a 30-minute drive from the heart of Doha. Combined tickets that provide access to both events will be offered at prices that the organizers promise will be attractive thanks to their partnership with the airline Qatar Airways and their partnership with local hotels. From October 11, the F1 track will host one of the transferred activities of the show, namely circuit tests offered by certain manufacturers who present to their customers by invitation. Events for the general public will also be held there. GIMS Qatar’s other “test center” is located 20 km or 45 minutes south of the city center, in a place where the desert plunges into the sea, and will host off-road driving experiences. These areas are accessible from the show by metro and then shuttles. A parade on the Doha Corniche is scheduled for October 12.

A measured scale but a global scope

In discussions with manufacturers over several years about GIMS Qatar, its creators expect between 35 and 50 car brands by DECC’s 29,000 m², a small area compared to the more than 100,000 m² on which Geneva or Paris are extended in their widest configurations. The foundation of the Permanent Committee of the International Motor Show, the owner of GIMS, wants to attract manufacturers with a competitive rental price ($150/m²) and the possibility to offer them a “turnkey” stand. Exhibitors who want to go the extra mile to enjoy a custom-designed XXL space are free to do so. The attendance target is “more than” 200,000 visitors, ie half the number of people welcomed by the last shows in Munich and Paris.

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GIMS Qatar

A high-end show

Perhaps even more so than the Geneva Motor Show, which traditionally mixes prestige and general brands, GIMS Qatar will give pride of place to high-end cars. ” Luxury, sport, design and innovation will be the headliners “, said its organizers. Sandro Mesquita, general manager of the show, however, wants to qualify this positioning that promises to be exclusive and accurate:

We prefer to speak of efficiency rather than luxury, as it is a more inclusive term. For example, No. 1 brand in the Middle East is Toyota, thanks to its Land Cruiser. Toyota excels in the field of off-road.

The presence of the Japanese manufacturer remains to be confirmed, however, as well as the other exhibitors, where formal registration will open on February 1st. An extensive stand dedicated to vintage cars has been unveiled. It will house part of the collection that will join the new Qatar Automotive Museum being built in 2025.

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Qatar Tourism

As in the Geneva Motor Show where the majority of visitors come from neighboring countries (France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany), GIMS Qatar organizers expect to attract mainly people from Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf neighbors. And they point out that it is the Middle East that is the region of the world where the number of ultra-rich (Ultra High Net Worth Individuals according to the OECD), that is, people with at least 30 million dollars in cash who immediately accessible , is growing the fastest. Therefore, these clients will be the focus of all attention. But the event is intended to be international in scope, helped here by a geographical location that allows 80% of the world’s population to reach it in less than six hours of flight.

What place for Qatar on the trade fair calendar?

GIMS Qatar is organized by the foundation that holds the rights to the show along with Qatar Tourism, the national body development tourism in Qatar. It is a partnership involving the capital investment of Qatar. This association is currently scheduled for ten years, meaning five editions as GIMS Qatar is supposed to be two years. ” This is a significant investment, which in the end should generate income said Sandro Mesquita. The event boss points out that the atmosphere of such a show differs greatly between Europe and the Middle East. Its details:

Our opportunity is to be part of a nation’s vision, which makes our work easier. All local authorities support us to set up this event. In Geneva or Paris, cars are frowned upon today, and the authorities do not support the car.

The next GIMS Qatar should take place in the month of November if this is indeed the case, as it appears, for the F1 GP. This should in particular avoid too direct competition in European trade fairs.

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GIMS Qatar

However, the next edition of the Munich show will be held from September 5 to 10, 2023, almost a month before GIMS Qatar, and it will also be a two-time exhibition. Producers who are still attached to the shows will undoubtedly compare investments carefully to choose where they will invest more. German Mercedes and Porsche may find themselves in an uncomfortable position. As for the Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, it should officially return from February 26 to March 3, 2024.

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