The Geneva Motor Show for 2022, Europe's biggest motoring event, has been cancelled yet again, for a third consecutive year. After being cancelled for two years in a row as a result of the global pandemic, the organisers had previously confirmed that the event will return in 2022.
- Difficulties surrounding international travel cited as reason for cancellation
- Global semiconductor shortage also played its part in cancellation
- Geneva Motor Show to return in 2023
Why has the Geneva Motor Show been cancelled for 2022?
It's "industry-wide issues relating to the Covid-19 pandemic" that has prompted the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show yet again.
The Comité permanent du Salon international de l'automobile, which runs the event, said: "We would like to reassure you that the momentum for the evolution of our platform will continue in order to bring it to its full potential in 2023.We appreciate and apologise for any inconveniences caused, but wished to avoid having to cancel the show at short notice due to the ongoing issues relating to the pandemic."
Chiefly, the show's cancellation has been blamed on the ongoing difficulties surrounding international travel in the wake of the pandemic, which would make it infeasible to host an event on the same scale as the previous years.
Another factor cited was the ongoing semiconductor shortage, which the show's organisers say has "resulted in several recent cancellations and, therefore, it was decided that postponing would be in the best interests of both car manufacturers and automotive fans."
The Geneva Motor Show was scheduled to take place between February 17-27 next year. The organisers had even sent out invitation to exhibitor to register for their attendance at the event.
The announcement comes shortly after show runners announced a new partnership with Qatar Tourism, which will spawn a biennial spin-off motor show in Doha from either autumn 2022 or 2023. The latter date is more likely now, given the main Swiss event's cancellation, but no official announcement has been made regarding the Doha edition.
Though Geneva's future looks increasingly uncertain as it struggles to recover from the pandemic, the international motor show is returning to some semblance of normality. The Frankfurt motor show moved to Munich this year, and was held at full-scale last month, and the Los Angeles motor show is scheduled to go ahead as normal in November, as is the large Guangzhou motor show in China.
2022 Auto Expo delayed in India
Back here in India, the 2022 edition of the Auto Expo has also been postponed due to Covid-19 related complications. The new date for the 2022 Auto Expo will be finalised later this year, taking into consideration the COVID-19 situation and the event's alignment with the global automotive calendar.
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