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Philippe Rossier
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Last year the salon world was still in order: Federal Councilor Alain Berset (center) and salon president Maurice Turrettini (2nd from right) during the tour of the motor show in March 2019.
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2.8
Canceled: From March 5 to 15, 2020, the Geneva Motor Show – officially the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) – should have taken place for the 90th time.
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Visitor magnet: 10,000 media professionals and 650,000 car fans were expected at the Geneva Motor Show (archive picture).
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All for free: The work of the exhibitors was in progress (archive picture), but the first ones had started to dismantle even before the cancellation.
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All for free: The work of the exhibitors was in progress (archive picture), but the first ones had started to dismantle even before the cancellation.
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In the middle of the coming week, the organizers of the Geneva Motor Show were optimistic despite the announcement of the first Corona case in the canton of Geneva. They sent emails on Wednesday evening, confidently confirming that the 90th Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) was taking place from March 5 to 15, as planned, despite the Covid-19 coronavirus.
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The GIMS organizers made no friends with this in the automotive industry. The criticism of the stubborn adherence of the fair organizers to an implementation became steadily louder. More and more car companies registered for the salon refused to send staff and managers to the Palexpo exhibition halls.
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Exhibitors provided the ultimatum
When the Geneva watch fair, which took place much later, but was held at the same location, was canceled, the end of the Geneva Motor Show was actually sealed – even if the organizers did not want to admit it. Meanwhile, the big exhibitors had got together behind the scenes and agreed to stay away from the salon. SundaysBlick knows from well-informed sources that the exhibitors had effectively given an ultimatum and threatened the organizers with public announcement of their absence if GIMS 2020 was not officially canceled by midday on Friday.
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Seen in this way, Federal Councilor Alain Berset made the decision to the GIMS organizers at the announcement on Friday morning that no further major events were to be held in Switzerland by March 15. And so forced them to definitely refuse. “Today’s Federal Council decision unfortunately forces us to cancel the 90th edition of the GIMS,” said Salon President Maurice Turrettini regretfully and added: “Of course we accept this Federal Council decision.”
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The decision to cancel Switzerland’s largest public trade fair is not surprising. Only the late timing and the stubborn adherence to the implementation of the fair irritated. Because not only numerous exhibitors (some had already started to dismantle their stand on Thursday) would have stayed away from the fair, but also most of the 10,000 media professionals announced and probably many of the approximately 650,000 expected visitors.
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Damage is in the millions
What does the cancellation mean for the organizers? The construction of the exhibition stands was practically finished and many exhibition vehicles had already been delivered. The damage is likely to run into the millions – and insurance companies will soon be arguing over claims settlement. When asked by exhibitors for compensation, Salon President Maurice Turrettini remained confident and replied at the exhibitor conference: “This is a case of force majeure. I don’t think you would be successful with an action for damages. » And said with a swipe against the Federal Council: «The government in Bern decided the cancellation, not we. You can try to sue them. Good luck.”
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With such statements, the GIMS President did not make any new friends among the exhibitors. Now they have to see how they can bring their innovations to the public. Some manufacturers may switch to the Internet and present their innovations digitally – perhaps recorded on one of the many orphaned stages in the Palexpo halls. “Because we don’t have a plan B,” said retiring salon director Olivier Rihs.
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