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New York Auto Show canceled again due to Delta variant

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By Sanjeev Kumar

The hype surrounding the famed New York Auto Show has risen in recent weeks. Thousands of car enthusiasts look forward to this event with a keen intent. Automakers use the platform of the New York Auto Show to showcase their latest innovations in automobile technology. However, all the excitement goes in vain, as the COVID-19 virus plays spoilsport again. This time it is the all-new infectious Delta variant that is wreaking havoc across the globe. Even the esteemed New York Auto Show couldn’t escape from the clutches of the new Delta variant.

Automotive geeks who were awaiting the show with much fanfare are in for a double disappointment, as the New York Auto Show had already been canceled once back in the spring of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s event was already running later than usual, from the originally planned schedule in April. Thousands of prospective car buyers use the platform of the New York Auto Show to make an informed decision on their next new car purchase.

Regarding the concerns around the Delta variant, the organizers released a statement to the public, "It is with great disappointment that the upcoming 2021 New York International Automobile Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has been canceled due to the growing incidences of the Covid-19 Delta variant and the increased measures announced recently by state and local officials to stop its spread."

The New York Auto Show was scheduled to run between August 20 to August 29 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The organizers took the extra steps by increasing the number of vaccinations among their staff members. This stood as a positive sign to go ahead with the show, according to Mark Schienberg. “All signs were positive, and the show was coming together stronger than ever, but today is a different story.” The president of the New York Auto Show. Mr. Scheinberg expressed his discontent in his following statement, “Over the past few weeks, and especially within the last few days, circumstances have changed making it more difficult to create an event at the high standard that we and our clients expect.”

The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association is in charge of organizing this high-fi automotive show. The crucial decision to cancel the event for the second consecutive year in the running came into place following conversations with state and city authorities. The organizers also credited the canceling of this year’s show owing to the increased measures put in place by local officials to stop the Delta variant’s spread.

Recently, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio passed a bill, which mandated proof of vaccination for indoor activities, such as dining, gyms, and events. The new policy will be phased in by August 16. By September 13, the New York City authorities will begin enforcing even stricter inspections and regulations, the mayor said in a statement.

The New York Auto Show is a massive event in the automotive calendar, first introduced in 1900 and runs for a schedule of 10 days in total. This event has served as one of America’s four marquee auto shows, alongside those held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit. Usually, it is held in spring during the Easter holiday, although this year it was rescheduled for August. The New York Auto Show typically attracts thousands of journalists from around the world and sells millions of tickets every year. The show generates a lot of fortune for the New York Metropolis, contributing about $300 million every year to the city’s economy.

The Covid-19 disruptions cannot be completely blamed for playing spoilsport. Even before the onset of the pandemic, German luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi had pulled out of the New York auto show, before it was ultimately scrapped back in spring. The auto shows have always served as a medium for high-profile automakers to showcase their mettle. The decreasing participation of global automakers proves to be detrimental for the organizers. Many major automakers have taken notes from the standalone events held by Tesla, and are organizing events of their own to unveil their important cars.

The Chicago Auto Show was the only major automotive event that hosted its exhibition ever since the pandemic hit. The Chicago show generally is always held during February. However this year, the show was delayed and ran from July 15th to the 19th. The event only attracted 100,000 visitors this year, which is a mere fraction of the 1 million attendees that it usually attracts every year.

The Chicago faction faced the biggest challenge of getting automakers to display their cars. Chicago Auto Show Trade Association spokesman Mark Bilek said that most car companies were reluctant to participate in an automotive show this year at all. The Chicago event was a very toned-down affair, with the organizers holding the event in a smaller space. They made use of the different outdoor spaces available to display and test drive all the cars.

Comparatively, the New York Auto Show wasn’t planned to be a scaled-down event at all. "We were ramped up bigger than we ever have been before," said Chris Sams, a spokesman for the New York Auto Show. The theme for this year’s event was reportedly electric cars, as organizers unveiled a poster related to the event with the words, ‘The Future is Bright.’ Many luxury car brands had already declined the invitation for this year’s event. On the other hand, many non-luxury brands were planning to increase their display spaces this year. Hence, the cost of expenses and time required to transport the automobiles was an arduous task for the organizers. In such a risky period where the Delta variant was prevalent, it was too risky to carry on with the event.

Nevertheless, the organizers wrote a statement of assurance, “The Covid pandemic has challenged our City, the country and the entire world, but just like the automobile industry, we know that the New York Auto Show will rebound and be bigger and better than before. We firmly believe that will be the case when the show returns to its regular spring schedule in April 2022.” Although the car show won't be running this year, car enthusiasts can look forward to a technology-filled extravaganza when the event makes a comeback next April. Until then, we advise every car lover to stay safe at home.

Audi, BMW, Business, Cancellation, COVID-19, Delta Variant, Mercedes-Benz, New York Auto Show, Tesla, Transportation, travel

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