If destinations compete for tourists, they compete even harder for conferences. The question is, who is doing the bidding?
The case for creating city-based convention bureaus for India has never been shriller. The IMARC Research group, in new research, has upped the projection for India’s MICE market size from USD 116.0 billion in 2025 and expects it to reach USD 184.8 billion by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 5.04% during 2026-2034. In an era where marketing takes over most of the decision-making process while finalising a destination to host events, the need for a city to have a convention bureau becomes vital. In India, as per the 2011 census, there are 52 cities with a population of a million and 8 cities with a population of over 5 million. Though Hyderabad did have a start in creating a convention bureau ecosystem about a decade and a half back, most city government establishments are just clueless about creating an urban-based tourism promotional model.
Though Maharashtra has gone ahead and approved a state-based convention bureau, the action will be primarily on it being city-based. At least ten cities are prime to bring in a convention bureau. There are enough new modern convention centres and upscale hotels to host events and big conventions. Transport infrastructure in the form of highways and airports is in place to create successful MICE destination models.
The India story over the last decade has made the country an aspirational meeting hot spot. Investment in infrastructure by the government and some foresighted entrepreneurs has been made. The country would lose an opportunity to capitalise on them if we do not create marketing bodies in the form of bureaus to promote them globally and nurture them.
Globally, convention bureaus help cities add revenues and help bridge the gap in weekdays and weekend hotel occupancies with a clear-cut focus to bring events and conferences into the city. Considering that India has over 760 officially classified five-star hotels and hundreds of four-star properties, with major corporate hubs being New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, while Jaipur, Goa and Kerala, being traditional leisure hotspots, have around 250 hotels put together, the time is just about perfect to have city-based convention bureaus across India.
Key global spend comparisons among major cities are stacked up in favour of MICE travellers. Visit Britain notes Business/MICE travellers commonly spend 1.5–2× (or more) what leisure travellers spend per day, though stays are shorter. Spain notes spending of over 50-60% per diem among business travellers, and Norway reports spending 2-2.5 times more than an average leisure traveller. Even a leisure hotspot such as Macao reports spending over 90% of that of a leisure traveller.
A recent GBTA survey of global business travellers shows averages around USD 834 per person per trip in one recent report (lodging ~USD 312, food & beverage ~USD 153, air ~USD 176, ground transport ~USD 103, miscellaneous ~USD 89). Later surveys indicate higher averages (e.g., around USD 1,128 in some 2025 data). UK business-events delegates (as per VisitBritain’s 2024 data notes excluding registration fees): average spending is £629 per trip / £183 per day/night. Overseas delegates spend far more (often 3–4× UK domestic). Incentive trips also average higher. Travel extensions for leisure can more than double total spend.
The association sector in India is vibrant, noisy and full of action. The associations have always played to the galleries when it came to fuelling the Indian MICE ecosystem. The plethora of associations in India, with over 100,000 registered bodies, brings unbridled challenges and opportunities alike! A market that swings from a highly organised, professionally managed segment to downright chaos! The stakes are high when stakeholders make up the numbers like only India can. The industry is complex, multi-layered and a lifeline for convention destinations!
One of the key challenges for the association business in India is that it is highly information-challenged! There is no single authority where associations or industrial events such as annual conventions, symposiums, trade fairs, and conferences are calendared! Even the India tourism-supported ‘Indian Convention Promotion Bureau’ does not have such data on its site. The next question: what will a city convention bureau bring to the table? Every city already has a plethora of associations representing the travel trade! Convention bureaus bring the MICE industry as a focus. The Ministry of Tourism still considers MICE as a niche segment along with adventure and pilgrimage! The convention industry is no longer just a mere niche segment; it is part of the city’s economic cycle.
Creating a marketing body to get more events to your city will help, nurture and market the MICE investments in the city. There have been a couple of bureaus in place, but they run more like private clubs, with ridiculously high entry barriers. Open the bureau to every stakeholder the industry begets. Having a thriving and energetic bureau will only add tremendous value to the city and enhance the state’s marketing efforts. The bureau will bring prominence and justification to the segment.
You catalyse marketing growth and focus on what you presently have and not necessarily be a wailing board! Professional bodies have now emerged to manage associations across sectors and this will add tremendous value to create an enhanced meeting opportunity eventually.
The marketing aspect of business tourism is a non-starter in India. Seldom, other than a couple of city-based convention bureaus (which are run more like a private club with exorbitant entry barriers), have a structure to help pitch for an international event in India or assist in creating a bid document. Being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and India being on almost every marketer’s wishlist, we should not lose events being hosted in India for the sheer lack of bid document preparation expertise. The Indian Association industry network is a vital cog in the wheel of the Indian MICE ecosystem and needs a little bit of TLC and a big kick in the rear to push it to new heights!
Business tourism in the form of events brings taxes and employment to the state, and with every MICE traveller contributing almost twice as much as a leisure tourist is surely a segment to put one’s moolah in! All the stats add up; the need is up there. What stops us from creating city-based convention bureaus? The real issue is not whether India needs another city convention bureau. It is how many opportunities we will lose before we create them!