Maurice Turrettini, chairman of the company that puts on the Geneva International Motor Show, said canceling it will also hurt the Geneva economy. Turrettini said at a press conference that the cancellation will represent a local economic hit of $200 million to $260 million.
The development prompted many show observers to buzz on Twitter about the decision-making process. Some argued that the cancellation could have come sooner.
The virus, which originated in China, had already reached into Europe and caused Italian authorities to shut down areas and roads in northern Italy, on Switzerland’s southern border. Italy’s moves affected the offices of the Volkswagen-owned Italdesign in Turin.
Coronavirus cases had begun to appear in Switzerland.
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, two days before the cancellation, the auto show released a statement that the show would go ahead — but with advice that visitors should “maintain at least 3-feet distance between you and anyone coughing.”
Despite that reassurance, Kia pulled its Korean executives out of the show, and infotainment supplier Harman International pulled out altogether.
By Thursday, Feb. 27, as epidemic worries and media buzz escalated, it was clear that a game of brinkmanship was developing among the show, its exhibitors and the Swiss government as to who would act first.
In the end, the government made the call to ban gatherings of more than 1,000 people until March 15, the day the show was to conclude. Because of that official order, the show was able to claim force majeure and step free of exhibitor contracts without penalty.
“We will follow that recommendation. We are at the end of the chain,” said a spokesperson for Palexpo, the large exhibition center where the Geneva show takes place.
“We regret this situation, but the health of all participants is our and our exhibitors’ top priority,” Turrettini said in a statement.
Asked about compensation for exhibitors, he replied: “We are in a state of force majeure, so a claim against the auto show will not have success. There are no refunds or litigation possible.”
Jack Walsworth, Luca Ciferri and Christiaan Hetzner contributed to this report.
