In a bid to strengthen India’s position as a global hub for business events, the Ministry of Tourism is urging state governments to establish city-centric MICE Promotion Bureaus.
The initiative is part of the union government’s larger strategy to grow inbound tourism by tapping into the lucrative business events segment.
On way MICE Promotion Bureaus would be helpful for cities, Suman Billa, additional secretary, ministry of tourism, said: “MICE is one of the low-hanging fruits to grow inbound tourism numbers. We need to create an ecosystem where stakeholders come together on one platform to promote destinations for business events. Such collaborative efforts will make our offerings more competitive.”
Under the proposed framework, states that set up city-specific MICE Promotion Bureaus. and commit funds to attract international conferences. will receive matching financial support from the government of India.
“If a state government identifies a conference they want to attract and pledges a certain amount, the Centre will match it dollar-to-dollar. Together, we can then pitch for these big conferences,” Billa explained.
Kerala has emerged as one of the early movers in this direction, where the state is working towards setting up a city-centric MICE Promotion Bureau in Kochi.
“We understand the importance of such bureaus and are hopeful that this will soon become a reality,” said Sikha Surendran, director, Kerala Tourism.
Billa believes a strong business events strategy will not only boost inbound numbers, but also help India overcome tourism seasonality.
“MICE will bring in high-spending tourists and position India as a 365-day destination. Countries like Germany have successfully leveraged MICE to generate demand even during off-seasons such as their winter months. India too, can benefit from this model,” Billa added.
