The Ministry of Tourism has highlighted the importance of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector in India, recognizing it as a key driver for the growth of the nation’s tourism industry. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, emphasized the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to promote India as a holistic tourism destination, with a particular focus on MICE tourism.
While the responsibility for developing and promoting tourist destinations, including MICE tourism, lies with the respective State Governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations, the Ministry of Tourism actively markets India as a top MICE destination through various platforms, including social media and official websites. The Ministry has also formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap to support the growth of the MICE industry in India, particularly in regions like Haryana and Delhi NCR.
The strategy document outlines six key pillars to strengthen the MICE sector. These are institutional support for MICE, development of an ecosystem for MICE, enhancing the competitiveness of the Indian MICE industry, streamlining ease of doing business for MICE events, marketing India as a premier MICE destination, and fostering skill development within the MICE industry.
According to a 2019 MICE study by the Ministry of Tourism, the Indian MICE market is valued at Rs 37,576 crore, with 60 percent of this revenue generated from Meetings, Incentives, and Conferences. International MICE events account for approximately 22 percent of the market share, and 65 percent of the events are Business to Business (B2B) in nature. Additionally, Meetings and Incentives make up around 70 percent of the MICE segment hosted by 5-star properties.
India’s outbound MICE market is one of the fastest-growing globally, reinforcing the country’s potential as a leading player in the international MICE industry. The Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to promote India as a MICE destination are expected to further boost its position in the global tourism landscape.