JOHANNESBURG - Yet another motor show has fallen victim to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Messe Frankfurt South Africa having confirmed that the 2021 Festival of Motoring has been postponed until next year.
Managing Director Joshua Low said the decision was made due to the latest surge in Covid-19 cases and the worsening of the third wave. This means that the next edition of the event will take place from 26 to 28 August 2022, at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. This year’s event was originally scheduled for 26-29 August.
"The safety of our exhibitors, attendees and staff is of the utmost concern for us,” said Low. “We believe this to be in the best interests of the industry and the event. We understand the significant impact of Covid-19 on the industry, but we are excited about the next event; with new feature areas, an additional focus on B2B and other initiatives to ensure that it will be the best one yet,” Low added.
Organisers say the 2022 event will provide the ideal platform for the motor industry to relaunch and engage with potential customers in an experiential format. In addition to customised areas for participating OEMs, show-goers can look forward to a range of family friendly activities as well as culinary experiences with celebrity chef Reuben Riffel.
"We know how much the Festival of Motoring community enjoys coming together for a motoring extravaganza each year,” said show director Judy Maharaj. “We guarantee fans of the event that they will get to touch, feel and smell the Festival of Motoring experiences again".