India’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector has significant headroom for expansion, with Maharashtra emerging as the first state in the country to establish a dedicated MICE convention promotion bureau. Mumbai is also positioning itself as a global MICE destination, supported by growing infrastructure and stronger government-industry collaboration.
Speaking at the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) MICE Industry Leaders Connect: Focus West, held at the Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) in Mumbai on October 16, 2026, Suman Billa, Secretary and Managing Director, Union Ministry of Tourism, said India had made significant progress in developing world-class convention and exhibition facilities. However, the growth of tourism and hospitality infrastructure must keep pace with the country’s broader infrastructure development to unlock the sector’s full potential.
Billa highlighted venues such as Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi and the Jio World Convention Centre as examples of India’s growing capacity to host large international conferences, exhibitions and business events. He also cited experience gained through major global engagements, including India’s G20 presidency, as an important foundation for future growth. Despite these advances, India accounts for only around one per cent of the global MICE business, leaving considerable scope to attract more international events.
He described the establishment of the Maharashtra Convention Bureau as an important step towards strengthening the state’s position on the global MICE map. The initiative, under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Tourism, aims to promote the destination, facilitate international convention bids and improve coordination between government and industry stakeholders. Billa also called for similar state-level and city-based convention bureaus across India to generate more exhibition and conference business.
Billa proposed creating a Western Region MICE Task Force to strengthen coordination among stakeholders across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa. Greater collaboration could support knowledge-sharing, joint international outreach and coordinated bidding while allowing each destination to retain its distinct identity. Sanjay Yadav, Secretary of Tourism, Maharashtra, said new convention centres were planned in several cities, with Nagpur expected to get one by next year, alongside proposed facilities in Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik and Sambhaji Nagar.
Sooraj Dhawan, President of IEIA, said western India was well placed to attract major international exhibitions and conferences due to its established business centres, expanding infrastructure and diverse tourism offerings. He added that the IEIA initiative aimed to turn the region’s potential into sustainable growth through meaningful dialogue and actionable collaboration. The inaugural session included a welcome address by Devendra Bharma, CEO of JWCC. Other attendees included Abhay Arvind Bedekar, Additional Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, and Saumil Ranjan Chaubey, Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Tourism Board.