Destination management
The city of Geneva, the exhibition company and hoteliers go for cooperation, also on an international scale.
Some 1.5 million visitors a year make their way to the exhibition centre in Geneva. Roughly half of them come in the spring, when the motor show is staged in the hallowed halls - a spectacle that leaves no car lover cold. The show is one of the four most important automobile exhibitions in the world, taking place annually in the spring (the IAA in Frankfurt has a two-year frequency). It is repeatedly rumoured in the industry that a different staging cycle would also be preferred for Geneva. The Automobil-Salon is perceived as Switzerland's frontrunner.
It is not a proprietary event by Geneva Palexpo, but a guest event like the famous ITU Telecom World, the International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and Products or the EBACE - European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition. The latter in particular wings it to Geneva, given that the airport is directly opposite the fairground - an asset on which Claude Membrez relies. The Palexpo general manager does not seem concerned by the preponderance of guest events. He is convinced: "People want Geneva." And, he points out, Geneva, renowned for banking, watches and the UNO, is an attractive destination. "Regionally we can keep a small fair afloat, but you need to be internationally operative to pull in business for Geneva." Geneva is, after all, a brand, Membrez maintains.
In the case of the ITU Telecom World the Genevans demonstrated in exemplary fashion how international activities work. Once hailed as the most important and biggest telecommunications exhibition in the world, the show quit the city of Calvin after 30 years. One reason for its emigration to Hong Kong was the price level in the Swiss city, notably its astronomical hotel rates.. When invitations to bid for the expo were sent out again, the Genevans also participated. The city has learned from the exodus, the hoteliers too. They now work more closely with the exhibition company. The result is: all's well that ends well. The ITU, which is headquartered in Geneva, is bringing its prestigious Telecom World back to Lac Leman in 2009. "Destination management" is what Membrez calls this. "If we all operate internationally with our good name, we'll all get more business."
Geneva also stands for exclusiveness. One instance is the International Fine Watchmaking Exhibition, Haute Horlogerie, to which even professional attendees are admitted by invitation only. But, "something will happen shortly" with this exclusive timepiece exposition, "with or without Basel", Membrez augurs. Meanwhile he has discovered ballpoints for the luxury segment, with a presentation slated shortly in the Villa Sarrazin. For the rest Claude Membrez, too, is banking on (auto)mobiles. October sees the launch of the Geneva Classics, devoted to vintage means of transport (October 6 to 10), and Utilexpo, the regional exhibition for light and heavy goods vehicles (October 19 to 21). These are intended to strengthen the portfolio of own shows and fill the halls in the autumn.
m+a report Nr.5 / 2006 vom 14.08.2006
m+a report vom 14. August 2006