With the construction of the state-of-the-art exhibition and conference complexes in the country, India is all set to become the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) capital of the world.
“The new segments of tourism are getting developed, in which MICE tourism is the most important and is the fastest-growing segment in the country. The exhibition and conference infrastructure we see across the nation, including Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur and even small cities post-G20 meet, indicates that India is standing at the threshold of strong possibilities for this sector,” said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union minister of Culture and Tourism, while inaugurating a two-day seminar on India: The Land of Exponential Growth organised by the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA), the apex national body of the exhibition industry in the country.
“The government and the private exhibition industry have to work together to make India a centre of MICE tourism. Several events that are happening globally can be calendarised and brought here to India. Besides being a destination in India, the country is also becoming a big exhibition and conference hub with planned expansion in road, aviation, and railway sectors. Along with the expansion of the conference and exhibition sector, the country has a great future for economic growth.
After 2014, India has shown a tremendous growth curve in infrastructure, given the boom in infrastructure, be it the construction of roads over 1,50,000 km, new railway stations, semi-high-speed trains, inland waterways, and more than 150 operational airports. All of these have contributed to India’s prowess with regard to the MICE events (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions). The confidence also built following India’s hosting of the G20 nations; the entire world is looking at India in awe and curiosity. In times to come, India will emerge as the MICE capital of the world,” Shekhawat said.
“The IEIA Open Seminar and Exhibition Services Expo is the annual international conclave of the Indian Exhibition Industry, attended by the captains of the industry from all regions of the country and overseas. The event acts as one of its kind meaningful platform for business networking, knowledge exchange, and discussions on the emerging trends shaping our industry’s future.” Said Mr Sooraj Dhawan, President. Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA).
“The 14th edition, the IEIA Open Seminar, is expected to attract over 700 leading industry players at decision-maker levels, including leading exhibition/event organisers, heads of various trade bodies, sectoral associations, and key government bodies. India is the fastest-growing exhibition market in the world and has grown at 40% post-COVID. The exhibition industry’s contribution to the Indian economy is Rs. 50,000 crores. Business generated through exhibitions is Rs. 300,000 crores. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) refers to a specialised segment of the tourism and hospitality industry focused on organising and hosting business events. We urge the government to announce October 1 as the National MICE Day to further boost the morale of the industry,” said Mr Dhawan
MICE is also known as the event industry. Over the past decades, the MICE industry has been recognised as a significant market segment and an important contributor to national economies. It not only gives a boost to the economy in the form of income generation but also creates huge employment opportunities in related hospitality services providing sectors like accommodation, food and beverage, convention services, transportation, tourism, and entertainment.
Those present on the occasion included Mr Premjeet Lal, ED, ITPO; Mr Rakesh Kumar, MD, India Expo Mart; Mr Jagdish Patanakar, Hon. Secretary, IEIA; and Mr Ravinder Sethi, Vice President, IEIA.