NAAMSA president Dr Johan van Zyl has announced that the Association will stage an International Motor Show in Johannesburg from October 30 to November 9 2008.

Following an extensive review of the requirements of automotive companies regarding future participation in automotive exhibitions in South Africa and consistent with established practice in other major automotive markets internationally, it had been decided that NAAMSA should assume ownership of the industry’s automotive exhibition, which would be known as The Johannesburg International Motor Show, the association said in a statement. 

“The rationale for the NAAMSA-controlled international automotive exhibition was to ensure maximum cost effectiveness and benefits to exhibitors and to enhance South Africa as an international automotive business and trade platform.  The event would take the form of a fully integrated automotive show with participation offered to all the major recognized sectors of the automotive industry, domestically and internationally,” it read.

The management and coordination of the event would be out-sourced, in terms of a tender process, to a leading exhibition company. NAAMSA is affiliated to the International Organisation of Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), which, amongst other things, coordinated the policy of motor vehicle manufacturers regarding participation in International Exhibitions and approved the calendar of international shows in accordance with OICA Accreditation Rules. 

The dates for the Johannesburg International Motor Show, as reflected on the calendar of OICA Accredited International Motor Shows for 2008 are Thursday October 30 through Sunday, November 9, 2008 (inclusive).

The proposed venue for the 2008 International Motor Show in Johannesburg is the National Exhibition Centre – Nasrec, Johannesburg. 

NAAMSA appointed former Toyota SA executive Francois Loubser as the industry’s Show Coordinator.  Loubser would assume responsibility for the overall management of the Johannesburg International Motor Show and NAAMSA’s contract with the successful exhibition company.  The invitation to tender would be distributed through the Exhibitions Company of Southern Africa (EXSA) and tender documentation would be available for collection from the NAAMSA offices in Pretoria from August 6 to August 14.

The closing date for tenders is Friday, August 24, 2007.