You could choose to attend the Berlin, Hamburg or Munich Motor Show.
The auto show industry is in crisis. Many automakers are questioning the value of elaborate displays, press conferences and the financial investment involved in attending the shows. They are being eschewed by more and more people. Show organizers have struggled to attract exhibitors and attendees due to this exodus. Not even the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is also known as the International Automobile Exhibition, has been spared. Today, Verband der Automobilindustrie, the show’s organizer, announced that Frankfurt will not host the event in 2021.
The VDA will instead be looking at Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. A decision on the host city for 2021 is expected to be made in the coming weeks, as negotiations continue with each other. Seven cities submitted their ideas and concepts for hosting the show. Hanover, Stuttgart and Cologne were also included. VDA stated that each city had “very innovative” ideas and that it was a “very tight race” among the finalists. The next IAA could be more focused on mobility, something that other shows are emphasizing.
Frankfurt, the host of the show for nearly 70 years, is devastated by this news. It is also home to Germany’s financial center as well as the European Central Bank. Frankfurt was thanked by the VDA along with all other participants for taking part in the competition.
The IAA show won’t be going away, thankfully. It is a great complement to the Paris Motor Show, which alternates from year to year. It is a sign of times, as show organizers attempt to attract visitors, as automakers have abandoned shows and venues in favor of more intimate interactions with journalists, customers and the general public. Last year, the IAA attracted 550,000 visitors. However, there was a dramatic drop in exhibitors and visitors to its show. This is still a significant drop from the 810,000 who attended the 2017 show and the 931,000 that was held in 2015.