Discover Automotive Brilliance: Preparing for GIMS Qatar 2023 – A Tourism Showcase of Qatar’s Excellence

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Following the successful hosting of the World Cup 2022, Qatar is preparing to welcome another world-class event this October – the Geneva International Motor Show in Qatar. This premier event for automotive enthusiasts will showcase the latest and greatest in automotive technology and design. In this article, we will explore the exciting new venue for the show and highlight the diverse range of activities and touristic attractions that will be available to visitors throughout the duration of the event and beyond.

As a driving force in shaping the future of mobility since 1905, the Geneva International Motor Show is not one to miss. Qatar Tourism, the official promoter of GIMS Qatar, and Qatar Airways, the festival’s official airline, are both set to make this event an exceptional experience. With over 150 destinations worldwide, Qatar Airways’ latest generation fleet and top-notch service will provide guests with an exceptional travel experience to and from Hamad International Airport in Doha.

The success of GIMS Qatar 2023 will be the result of collaboration from top-notch Implementation Partners. Qatar Business Events Corporation (QBEC), the executive arm of Qatar Tourism, is leading the organization, management, operation, and supervision of events and venues, including the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), to position Qatar as a leading business events destination. The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), a non-profit government organization, is promoting safe and fair motorsport in Qatar and the Middle East. Qatar Museums, the premier institution for arts and culture in Qatar, has designed and commissioned the soon-to-open Qatar Auto Museum, featuring one of the most exclusive automobile collections in the world, to reflect the importance of the automobile in Qatar’s contemporary culture.

GIMS Qatar is not just a regular motor show, but an extravaganza that extends beyond the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center to various venues, including museums and circuits. DECC is the main venue of the show, which provides an elegant and modern exhibition concept in a high-end facility. Lusail International Circuit, one of the largest venues in Qatar, is considered the best racetrack in the Middle East and will host test drives by exhibiting brands from GIMS Qatar. Qatar Auto Museum, which plans to open in 2025, has partnered with GIMS Qatar to showcase an exceptional display of classic cars, limited editions, supercars, and race cars. The Sealine desert, a short drive from DECC, offers an off-road challenge for any 4×4 lover for unforgettable desert motorsport experiences. With extended test drives, high-speed circuit driving experiences, and desert motorsport, the festival provides visitors with extensive opportunities to get behind the wheel, creating the most dynamic show in the world.

Qatar is a unique destination that offers a blend of modernity and cultural tradition. The country boasts state-of-the-art attractions, hotels, and transport, as well as traditional souks, museums, and natural deserts and dunes. It is within a 6-hour flight from 80% of the world’s population and has been ranked as the safest country in the world by NUMBEO Crime Index 2022. The country aims to attract more than 6 million visitors per year by 2030, with a focus on increasing the tourism contribution to GDP to 12%. In terms of the automotive sector, Qatar is known as the hub for luxury consumers in the Middle East and has the fastest-growing luxury car market worldwide. The country is also encouraging investment in electric cars and seeks to increase the number of e-charging stations.

GIMS Qatar

Qatar is in the final stages of preparation to host the first-ever GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW QATAR, which will take place from October 5th to 14th, 2023.

The GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW (GIMS) QATAR is not just an ordinary auto show but a grand celebration of automotive supremacy. Spanning eight days and two weekends, the festival will be held in several venues, providing four distinct options for exhibitors to showcase their offerings.

GIMS Qatar provides exhibitors with exceptional opportunities to showcase their products in four distinctive ways: exhibiting in the modern halls of the DECC, taking part in the Doha Parade of Excellence, hosting ride and drives at Lusail Circuit, and demonstrating off-road capability in the desert. According to Berthold Trenkel, the COO of Qatar Tourism, the objective is for exhibitors to consider Doha as their playground.

1: EXHIBITING IN THE MODERN HALLS OF THE DECC

The Doha Exhibition and Conference Center (DECC) is a contemporary venue located in the heart of downtown Doha, purposefully designed to host high-profile and large-scale events. Since its inception in 2015, DECC has accommodated more than 250 exhibitions and events. Boasting impressive specifications such as a 29,000 square meter area, 18-meter high ceiling, 18 suites, and 1 VIP suite, this state-of-the-art venue is situated in an easily accessible location, only 24 minutes away from the airport, with a dedicated metro station. DECC also provides 2,800 parking spaces and 20 hotels are conveniently located within a short distance.

2: HOSTING RIDES AND DRIVES AT LUSAIL RACE CIRCUIT

For the upcoming 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix, the Lusail circuit will undergo a complete renovation, including significant enhancements to both the paddocks and spectator amenities. This modernized circuit will also offer track days and nights, providing exhibitors the opportunity to host ride and drives for their guests from their exclusive paddocks. The circuit itself boasts impressive statistics, with a length of 5.4 kilometers, a capacity of 60,000 spectators, and a VMax speed of 333 kilometers per hour.

3: DEMONSTRATING OFF-ROAD CAPABILITY IN THE DESERT

Just a short drive away from the DECC, the Sealine Desert offers a complete change of scenery and feels like a world apart. This distinctive desert terrain and its tidal inland sea provide an off-road adventure that will excite any 4×4 enthusiast. While the show is on, the camp at Sealine Desert is available for exhibitors to showcase their vehicles and demonstrate their capabilities while providing VIP hospitality for their guests.

4: PARTICIPATING IN THE DOHA PARADE OF EXCELLENCE

During the second weekend of GIMS QATAR, The Doha Parade of Excellence will take place along the waterfront, bringing the excitement and liveliness of the event to the streets. As the sun sets and the evening progresses, the parade will serve as a unifying force for both locals and visitors, celebrating all aspects of the automotive industry in a passionate display. This occasion presents a unique opportunity for brands to entertain their current and potential customers.

Furthermore, On the evening of October 8th, GIMS Qatar will kick off with the thrilling F1 GP Dual event. Automotive enthusiasts can take advantage of the available packages that combine the F1 GP race with the GIMS Qatar experience. This provides an exciting opportunity for attendees to witness the race and explore everything else that GIMS Qatar has to offer.

We list some of the activities GIMS Qatar visitors can do while in Qatar, visitors can explore Souq Waqif, a traditional marketplace with Qatari artefacts, restaurants, and cafés. They can also take a sunset dhow cruise along the seven-kilometer-long Doha Corniche. Two museums, the National Museum of Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art, offer exhibitions on the history of Qatar and the Islamic world, respectively. Other museums in the area include the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Fire Station Museum, and Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum. Education City is home to the Qatar International Library, designed by Rem Koolhaas, and the Heritage Library. The Katara Cultural Village on the waterfront of Katara Beach offers art galleries, workshops, performance venues, and exceptional restaurants. Finally, Msheireb Downtown Doha, the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project, offers a walkable architectural marvel with cafes, restaurants, and free museums.

The newly inaugurated stadium in Qatar, Stadium 974, is one of the top things to visit in the country. It hosted its first match during the opening day of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 and hosted matches up to and including the round of 16 during Qatar 2022World-Cup. The stadium’s design is distinctive and modern, constructed using standard certified shipping containers and modular steel elements. The stadium’s clever modular design required fewer building materials than traditional stadium development, helping to keep construction costs down. It is the first-ever FIFA complaint stadium that can be fully dismantled and re-purposed post-event, providing flexibility in the design to rebuild the stadium with the same capacity in a different location or build multiple smaller venues using the same materials. Fans can access the venue by using the Doha Metro, and it received a 5-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) for both its design and construction. The stadium bowl seating avoids the need for air conditioning as it is designed to be naturally ventilated. It reduces water use by 40% compared to a conventional stadium development. The stadium’s distance from Hamad International Airport is 4 km, and it was constructed by HBK Contracting Company and managed by TiME Qatar.

Key Facts and Information about Qatar:

Population of Qatar is 3 million
Qatar has over 320 days of sunshine per year
Qatar’s coastline is 563 km long
Qatar is the first country in the Middle East to host a FIFA World Cup
Qatar has over 100 nationalities living in the country
Qatar is rated as the safest country in the world by NUMBEO Crime Index 2022
Over 95 countries have visa-free entry to Qatar
Qatar Airways is the world’s best airline and airport according to SKYTRAX
Qatar has 8 stadiums and 32 competing teams for the FIFA World Cup 2022
The longest distance between World Cup stadiums in Qatar is 75 km, and the shortest is 5 km
Qatar’s emergency number is 999
The Arabian Oryx is the national animal of Qatar
Attitudes towards dress in Qatar are relaxed, but visitors are expected to show respect for local culture
Cash is not required for most transactions in Qatar, and electronic payment services are provided in all shops
Cars in Qatar drive on the right side of the road
The official language of Qatar is Arabic, but English is commonly spoken in public places
Qatar has been ranked as the world’s safest country for the past five years according to the Crime Index of Numbeo
The Doha Metro is one of the easiest ways to get around Qatar
Winter weather in Qatar is perfect for outdoor adventuring, with lows of around 14°C and highs of around 25°C.

How about watching live horses instead of mechanical ones? well, visitors can explore the Al Shaqab: A Multi-Dimensional Equestrian Center:

Which is a Qatar-based equestrian center established in 1992 by Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani with the aim of preserving, improving, and promoting Arabian breed horses through the highest standard of breeding, show, equestrian arts, and welfare while encouraging community participation. Al Shaqab has expanded to become a cross-functional organization with departments such as Equine Education, Riding Academy, and Community Events. The center is home to the Longines Arena and hosts several prestigious equine events, including the CHI Al Shaqab event, and has the capacity to hold 10,000 people in both arenas. The center is also committed to being inclusive and providing opportunities for professional growth for its staff, and preserving the Arabian breed horse, a vital part of Qatar’s history and culture.

In conclusion, GIMS Qatar 2023 promises to be a grand celebration of automotive supremacy, where visitors will have the opportunity to experience the latest and greatest in automotive technology and design. The festival will not only be limited to the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center but will also include various other venues, such as museums, circuits, and the Sealine desert. With the support of Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways, QBEC, QMMF, and Qatar Museums, GIMS Qatar 2023 is sure to be an unforgettable experience for both exhibitors and visitors alike.

you can watch additional footage of my trip to Qatar with GIMS organizers and Qatar Tourism here and here.