After more than six decades, the International Motor Show is moving from Frankfurt am Main to Munich. The new concept of the IAA focuses on new mobility and is intended to appeal to the entire population.
The decision was made late Tuesday afternoon: Munich prevailed over the other two finalists, Berlin and Hamburg, and will become the new location for the IAA. A total of seven German cities applied to host the event.
"Munich has thus prevailed over Berlin and Hamburg. The three cities that were recently shortlisted as host cities have all presented highly ambitious and convincing plans to further develop the IAA together with the VDA,"
says Hildegard Müller, President of the organizer VDA.
“It was a very close race, for which I would like to thank everyone involved.”
The first Munich IAA will take place in early September 2021.
“Munich is considered a leading innovation hub in Germany”
Recently, the IAA in Frankfurt struggled with declining visitor numbers and protests from anti-car activists and environmentalists. With the move from the Main River to the Isar River, the traditional auto show aims to completely reinvent itself and develop into a mobility platform. According to the VDA, it is intended to "be the initial catalyst for the host city to develop into a smart city with intelligent traffic concepts and innovative networking of transport modes—sustainable and geared to people's needs." Munich offers the best conditions of all applicants for this. In a statement, the association states:
"As a technology and strong industrial location and home to numerous high-tech corporations, startups, and research institutions, as well as innovative companies in the automotive industry, Munich is an excellent partner for the reorientation of the IAA. The city is considered a leading innovation hub in Germany with a uniquely broad mix of industries."
IAA also takes place in the Olympic Park
The VDA praises the Munich city administration, which has been pursuing the development of a “Smart Cityand has an “extraordinarily good transport infrastructure and connections to global destinations as well as strong expertise in organizing major events.”
The new IAA will not only take place at the exhibition center, but will also move into the city: to the Olympic Park and other central locations in Munich. The various locations will be connected to the exhibition center via a transfer route with priority lanes for environmentally friendly vehicles.
