Fair: Moto Festival replaces Swiss-Moto

The Association of Swiss Motorcycle and Scooter Importers motosuisse will switch from Zurich as a trade fair location to Bern from 2022 and thus from the event service provider Messe CH to BernExpo. motosuisse and BernExpo Groupe have signed corresponding contracts.

Broad supporting program including spectacle
In addition to the classic exhibition area for motorcycles, scooters, clothing and accessories, a new type of festival component is planned with a broad supporting program including spectacles and dynamic riding presentations.

The organizer consortium is also targeting younger groups with this strategy. More attention is also to be paid to electromobility.

Transportation, parking, outdoor area
The exhibition grounds planned for the new event, located directly on the Grosse Allmend, should be ideal in that it has good transport links, a generous parking situation and an extensive open-air site. In addition, Bern is centrally located, which will be particularly convenient for visitors from French-speaking Switzerland.

The Bern trade fair is also to be held on an annual basis. For 2022, the time window of February/March has been communicated. We assume that those responsible will wait for the dates of the Geneva Motor Show before setting a concrete date window for Bern.

Persuasion of the importers' association
However, a signed contract is no guarantee that the trade fair will actually take place in 2022. In fact, the importers' association and BernExpo have an enormous amount of work ahead of them. Trade fair concept, stand philosophy, supporting program with festival character, communication... practically everything has to be created anew. And also the exhibitors - keyword logistics, stand construction, overnight stays and more - will be challenged (also monetarily).

The biggest hurdle now, however, is the work of convincing the importers' association to its members. Because only if the majority of exhibitors can be mobilized for Bern will the trade show actually be able to be held (profitably).

Spirit of optimism among exhibitors
From our point of view, two points are currently positive: Firstly, we assume that the stand space rents in Berne are more favorable than in Zurich. This is an important argument for the managing directors of the importers in order to obtain the necessary budget from the manufacturers or the European headquarters.

And secondly, the move to Bern, in combination with the handling of the pandemic, is likely to bring with it a kind of spirit of optimism that could encourage exhibitors to pull together again when it comes to the trade fair.

Conclusion: Whether Bern or Zurich: Switzerland needs a national motorcycle show. We hope that it will come about and will do our part.

motosuisse.ch
bernexpo.ch
moto.ch