Australia’s stature as a major international motor show venue is in doubt following the decision to cancel the 2013 Australian International Motor Show which was scheduled for Melbourne in June.
Previously both Sydney and Melbourne had hosted annual shows which attracted major international exhibits and world-firsts from both importers and local manufacturers. However in recent years we switched to one annual show alternating between the ‘Harbour City’ and the Victorian Capital.
And there is a question mark over the further shows with organizers placing their future on market research and consultation with automotive marketing chiefs.
“We have made the decision to not proceed with this year’s Show based on a consensus view of the Automotive Industry to focus limited marketing budgets in 2013 on firm specific activities rather than an industry based Motor Show, “ revealed show director Russ Tyrie.
Last year’s Sydney Show was notable for its absentees – while Volkswagen Group had a large display put together by its global motorshow department, rival German brands Audi and BMW stayed away. Car Showroom knows a couple of major importers who indicated early they would not be participating in this year’s Melbourne event.
While enthusiasts and new car buyers will be disappointed with the news, the bottom line is specific marketing events, on-line marketing and sponsorships are delivering measurable returns on automotive company investments which motor shows cannot.
And Australian motor show attendances have been declining in recent years.
