Geneva motor show cancelled because of coronavirus

The organisers of the Geneva car show, Palexpo, have told car makers that the international show has been called off due to coronavirus concerns.

"We regret this situation, but the health of all participants is our and our exhibitors' top priority. This is a case of force majeure and a tremendous loss for the manufacturers who have invested massively in their presence in Geneva," Maurice Turrettini, Chairman of the Palexpo Foundation Board said.

Switzerland on Friday banned large events expected to draw more than 1,000 people as an extraordinary measure to curb the coronavirus epidemic.

The car show was set to begin next week but had already seen some high-profile executives cancel their attendance.

Restrictions on travel and fears about the spread of the coronavirus have caused other fairs, including the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Frankfurt's Light + Building fair and the Beijing Auto Show, to be postponed or cancelled.

The show has been cancelled, officials insisted, and was too large to simply be postponed – a contingency employed by the Beijing motor show earlier this month.

The Geneva show was scheduled to start on March 3 with a media day, and opened to the public from March 5-15.

One of the world’s most popular annual automotive showcases, the show was first held in 1905.