MICE prospects are brighter now for New Delhi but several obstacles remain, threatening to stunt growth potential. By Rohit Kaul

There is a general air of positivity among New Delhi’s MICE players lately, with much of the optimism resulting from ongoing hardware developments in the Indian destination.

Three new hotels had emerged in New Delhi Aerocity in the second half of 2013 – JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, Lemon Tree Premier, Delhi Airport and Red Fox Hotel, Delhi Airport – and all offer meeting facilities on-site.

On the exhibitions front, a major facelift is being planned for one of India’s top exhibition venues, Pragati Maidan. Some Rs8.2 billion (US$137.2 million) will be invested in the five-year revamp which will include the construction of new exhibition centres, convention halls, food plazas and a five-star hotel.

Ashok Jha, chairman of the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation which manages the venue, said: “The new facility will be among the best in the world. It will be on par with some of the facilities in Europe.”

These infrastructure improvements have inspired Chander Mansharamani, managing director of Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences, to believe that “the future is bright for the city”.

He also told TTGmice that business today is improving. “The MICE market in New Delhi has grown at a rate of 10 to 15 per cent this year so far. Being the capital of India and having good international (air) connections give New Delhi an edge over other Indian destinations,” he said.

Also optimistic is Prashant Narayan, senior vice president and head of leisure travel for inbound, Thomas Cook (India). “New Delhi is ideal for incentive groups as, apart from its own offerings, it has a lot of getaways in the vicinity. New convention facilities in New Delhi Aerocity and the Pragati Maidan facelift will further strengthen the city’s position as an incentive destination,” he said.

New Delhi has, for a while, been attracting international MICE groups from mainly Europe, the US and Australia. While demand from the domestic market far exceeds bookings from the international market, some business hotels with convention facilities are seeing a welcome change in the winds.

Balan Paravantavida, general manager of JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, said: “MICE makes up around 40 per cent of our overall revenue. Currently, 20 per cent of our events are international ones while 80 per cent are domestic. However, we expect the share of international events to grow to 40 per cent in the near future.”

Despite the optimism, industry players are frustrated with their government’s lack of focus in marketing the city for business events, and have been demanding that the ministry come up with a clear strategy for the segment.

Anup Nair, managing director of Incentive Destinations, lamented: “New Delhi has a lot to offer as an incentive destination, but because of a weak marketing approach the city is not considered a priority destination for international groups.”

Rajeev Kohli, joint managing director of Creative Travel, agrees: “The government needs to understand that the needs of the MICE segment are different from others.”

Another obstacle for the industry is the city’s lack of integrated convention and exhibition venues of global standards, which puts New Delhi at a disadvantage when competing with other MICE cities for business events.
Ritu Saigal, director of Travel With Us, added that infrastructure that can support mega events are lacking too.

Local conference organisers are also lamenting the number of permissions required from government agencies in order to run an event.

“(The system) results in a lot of hassle. A single-window clearance is needed,” urged Mansharamani.

The India Convention Promotion Bureau has heeded the calls of trade players and is trying to implement a streamlined system. Updates on its efforts are expected to be announced during its annual convention this month.

Ideas

Two nights in and around Delhi

Day 1

Your first day in Delhi will be spent getting to know the city’s rich history and culture. A full-day tour is in order, with visits to key landmarks such as Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, India Gate and Raj Ghat.Z
Come evening, enjoy a feast worthy of the ancient royals. Delhi 6 – Royal Cuisine of the Walled City specialises in Mughlai cuisine and features both royal recipes of Mughals and homemade delicacies of Muslim families.
If energy is still running high at night, head to Pangaea and party with the elite of Delhi. The night club, located at the Ashok Hotel, can accommodate up to 400 guests and offers 20 VIP tables. Private functions are possible.

Day 2
Say goodbye to Delhi for now, as you head to Agra, home of the majestic Taj Mahal.
But before that, pay a visit to Sikandra Fort along the way. It is the final resting place of the great Mughal emperor Akbar.
Also, take the afternoon to explore Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Tomb of I’timad-ud-Daulah.
Taj Mahal will make the grand finale on the itinerary today, as it is most beautiful at dusk.
Check into your hotel in Agra and rest for the night.

Day 3
Jaipur is on the menu today. Upon reaching the Pink City in the afternoon, you will call at the City Palace where many antiques and artefacts belonging to the ruling family are kept here, including a valuable collection of weaponry.
Next stop, Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), the open-air Jantar Mantar Observatory and the sprawling Albert Hall Museum.
Later, stroll through one of Jaipur’s many colourful bazaars before returning to your hotel.

Day 4
Today you will make your way back to Delhi. But first, a visit to Amber Fort just outside of Jaipur. Completed in the early 18th century, the fort took more than a century to build and offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the ruling families.

Need to know

Recharge at Rishikesh Recognised as the yoga capital of the

Recognised as the yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh, about 250km from New Delhi, is home to Sanskriti Vedic Retreat which offers yoga and meditation workshops. Business warriors can choose to stay at the retreat after their meetings in the Indian capital and unwind through some of the best of Indian traditions of ayurveda and yoga.

Grilled delights

The Indian Grill Room in Gurgaon’s Suncity Business Tower, specialises in cuisine prepared with various Indian grilling techniques like the tawa, charcoal grill, pathar and tandoor. The establishment has indoor and outdoor sections, with the former featuring a large open kitchen with interactive grill stations, and the latter gazebos and a performance area. Guests pay a fixed price for a set menu that includes 12 varieties of Indian grills.

Vibrant Park Inn opens in Gurgaon

The new Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Bilaspur, about an hour’s drive from New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, offers 98 rooms and suites, more than 200m² of flexible meeting rooms that are supported by a team of events management specialists, a business centre, an all-day-dining restaurant and a fitness centre, among other facilities.