India’s successful G20 presidency, which concluded on November 30, 2023, has left a lasting impact on the country’s business events industry, where stakeholders in the inbound business events sector report a surge in demand.

“The exposure that India received after its G20 presidency has helped in the positioning of the country as an inbound MICE destination. We have started to see MICE demand coming from longhaul markets like Europe and the US,” said Naveen Rizvi, executive director, Incentive, Conference & Event Management.

Amaresh Tiwari, managing director, A T & Seasons Vacations Travel, agreed with this observation: “New venues such as the Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, and Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata – all of which opened during India’s G20 presidency – have helped to attract more international business events.”

Rizvi added that the opening of these new large-scale venues has also enabled the country to bid for major international conferences in sectors such as telecommunications and renewable energy.

Tiwari highlighted that the G20 presidency also provided opportunities for diverse destinations across India to host related events, boosting confidence among tourism stakeholders and local authorities in their ability to attract more international business events.

“The presidency has also helped position smaller Indian cities as viable destinations for inbound MICE events, expanding beyond traditional markets like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad,” Rizvi shared.

For instance, destinations like Kumarakom in Kerala – traditionally a leisure destination – has also received attention from the business events sector, he noted.

Chander Mansharamani, managing director of Alpcord Network Travel & Conferences Management, opined: “To compete with Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand and Singapore, India needs to introduce more attractive incentives for international MICE groups. Without such measures, we risk losing valuable business opportunities.”

India’s G20 presidency attracted over 100,000 participants from 135 nationalities, making it one of the largest in-person gatherings for the forum. In total, there were more than 200 meetings hosted across 60 cities, alongside 300 cultural events which showcased local and national art forms.