Qatar set to host Geneva International Motor Show this week

By Pinar Aydinli Yadikar

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Qatar is set to host this year's Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) this week from Oct. 5-14, showcasing latest innovations from the industry, performances and adventure.

Spanning over 10,000 m2 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), the GIMS Qatar edition will feature 31 automotive brands, including Toyota, Lexus, Porsche, Volkswagen, Lamborghini, BMW, KIA, Audi, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz.

Visitors and exhibitors can look forward to an "unprecedented showcase of luxury, sports, exotics, and classics," according to the annual automotive festival's website.

“This is a great opportunity for us,” Sandro Mesquita, CEO of the Geneva International Motor Show, told Anadolu.

“Since 2020 we are preparing for the inaugural GIMS Qatar. It is the first time since 1905 that we are organizing an edition outside of Switzerland. That is also a big challenge for us, but we are very proud."

Mesquita said "we have a partnership for 10 years and every two years we will be here, we are now one brand but have two platforms; one in Geneva and one in Doha."

Qatar Tourism and GIMS held a press conference on Sunday celebrating the successful conclusion of Tour d’Excellence, a "testament of GIMS long-standing values of excellence, innovation and pioneering spirit."

From the Alps of Switzerland to the sand dunes of Qatar, the Tour d’Excellence started on Aug. 28 and finished on Sept. 11.

The journey was undertaken on Volkswagen ID Buzz cars, which drove 6,500 km from Geneva to Doha, crossing 12 countries and two seas to form a symbolic link between the two host cities.

"The Tour d’Excellence is to prove that even under such challenging circumstances, long-distance trips with electric vehicles remain feasible," according to GIMS.

GIMS, as a global exhibition brand, is "super important for tourism,” Berthold Trenkel, Qatar Tourism's chief, told Anadolu.

“We have four pillars when it comes to tourism. One is leisure, which is the biggest one, and the second one is business. In business, you will find exhibitions. So GIMS, as a global exhibition brand, is super important for tourism growing the destination, and growing business travel. That’s why GIMS is really important for us," he said.

GIMS Qatar aims to host over 200,000 visitors, and 1,000 journalists over the span of 10 days. It will include state-of-the-art exhibitions, exciting rides and drives, as well as off-road adventures.