The Indonesia International Motor Show was founded in 1986 as Gaikindo Car Exhibition in reference to its founder and main organizer, the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries (Gabungan Industri Kendaraan Bermotor Indonesia, GAIKINDO). It was renamed the Jakarta Auto Expo in 1989. The event grew steadily each year despite cancellations caused by the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
In 2000, Dyandra Promosindo became the main organizer of the expo, and its name was changed to Gaikindo Auto Expo. Dyandra Promosindo is Indonesia’s leading organizer of professional exhibitions that organizes more than 100 exhibitions across the country every year.
In 2006, Dyandra Promosindo partnered with the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Organisation internationale des constructeurs automobiles, OICA), an international trade association that, among other things, coordinates major international auto shows. As a result, the event became international, and the 2006 expo was the first one held under its current name, the Indonesia International Motor Show.
In 2015, the Indonesia International Motor Show was split into two events. The second event, organized by Gaikindo and Seven Events, was named the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS). It is held in Indonesian Convention Exhibition in Tangerang Regency several months after the IIMS, typically in July or August. Since the split, the IIMS has no longer been affiliated with Gaikindo.
The Indonesia International Motor Show is held at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), a convention, exhibition, and performance complex in the Pademangan subdistrict of North Jakarta with more than 100,000 square meters of exhibition and convention space. Every year, the expo attracts more than 460,000 visitors and sells over 15,000 vehicles.
The IIMS offers a rich and diverse program of events that combines a showcase of the national and international vehicle, parts, and accessories industry with entertainment, education, business, and lifestyle activities for a wide audience. They include, but a not limited to, the Miss Indonesia International Motor Show pageant, motorcycle races, monster truck shows, various contests and championships, test drives for visitors, a classic sports cars show, the IIMS Award Ceremony, and more.
Like most major events, the IIMS was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 event was canceled, and the 2021 Indonesian International Motor Show was split into two parts, virtual and hybrid. The IIMS Virtual was held on the expo’s official website in two phases, from February 18 to 28 and from March 18 to April 4. The IIMS Hybrid was held from April 15 to 25; it combined an offline exhibition at Jakarta International Expo and a virtual exhibition accessible to anyone with Internet access.
