Inside India’s Events and Meetings Aspirations

India wants to feature among the world’s top destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE). Earlier this month, tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called MICE the fastest-growing tourism segment in India and a key driver for the country’s economic growth.

According to Shekhawat, India’s MICE market generated $49.4 billion in revenue last year. That figure is expected to more than double to $103.7 billion by 2030. This growth, he said, will be driven by “recent developments in MICE-ready destinations coming up in cities like Varanasi, Khajuraho and Kochi.”

But while the government is bullish, event industry insiders say the ground reality is more complicated.

More Than Convention Centers: A successful MICE destination requires more than just a convention center, Ramanpreet Singh, vice president of growth and strategy at events management company SKIL told Skift. “It is about building a holistic ecosystem through air connectivity, multiple high-quality hotel options, efficient ground logistics, safety and security, digital readiness and above all, ease of doing business.”

Singh added that simple permissions, proactive local authorities, and support from the community are just as crucial as physical infrastructure.

Samit Garg, president of the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) and co-founder of E-Factor Experiences, agreed. For him, destinations need to be appealing on multiple levels. “Culture, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment matter to delegates.”

Both SKIL and EEMA pointed to several smaller cities that are on the way to be MICE-suitable: Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa, Rishikesh, Jim Corbett, Kochi, Gandhinagar, Varanasi, and Amritsar.

But the real challenge: converting intent into real MICE capability.

Take for instance, a destination like Khajuraho that the central government is positioning as a MICE venue after the opening of a convention center. “The ground reality is still quite different,” Singh said. “It remains a Tier‐2 town with limited flight connectivity, modest hotel infrastructure, and very basic support services.”

Singh pointed out that while the intent to develop it as a MICE destination is commendable, the actual ecosystem required to host large‐scale corporate events is still a work in progress. “Other cities that show strong promise include Hampi, Mahabalipuram, Shillong, Diu, and Bhubaneswar,” he said.

Emerging Trends in MICE: According to Garg, the MICE sector itself is changing: “Event formats are evolving with hybrid events, AI-driven delegate engagement, and immersive technologies like AR/VR. Also, sustainability and smaller, boutique summits are gaining popularity.” 

Personalization and incorporation of corporate-social responsibility (CSR) activities are also becoming key elements of events, Singh said. “There is also a growing preference for experiential venues over standard banquet spaces,” he added. 

Integration of local culture, wellness, and local experiences is also becoming the norm. Singh added, “MICE on cruises is an emerging format that is becoming increasingly attractive for corporates looking to create immersive, high‐impact experiences. Cruises work particularly well for incentive travel, leadership offsites, and celebratory events because they offer a contained environment with curated experiences.”

Global Standing: India is positioning itself as a MICE destination for the world. Globally, MICE destinations have smooth transport, vendor readiness, top‐tier hospitality, entertainment options, and active government support. In India, Singh said, “The infrastructure still feels disjointed. Organizers often have to stitch things together on their own. We’re moving in the right direction, but we’re not there yet.”

Indian Visitors Were Washington, DC’s Highest Spenders in 2024

In 2024, Indian visitors were the highest spenders in Washington, DC as they spent $344 million in the city last year. 

India was also the third-biggest international source market for Washington after Canada and the United Kingdom, Destination DC said in a statement. According to Tourism Economics, 191,000 Indians visited the destination. 

In 2024, India was the fourth-largest source country for the U.S., after Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Nearly 2.2 million Indians visited the country, according to data from the U.S. International Trade Administration. 

According to recent data shared by Skift Research, among the five major source markets of the U.S. — Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, and the United Kingdom — there is a sharp decline in interest in visiting the U.S. among all sources except for India. 

“In Canada, the share of negatively biased travelers exceeded those with a positive bias by 36%. In India, there was a net positivity gap of +41% in favor of travelers being “more likely” to visit the U.S. today versus 12 months ago,” the report said. 

IHCL to Invest in Hotels in Northeast Indian States

Taj-parent Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is looking to invest in hotels in Northeast India as the number of tourists in the region increase. The company’s area director for North East Jayanta Das said at a recent event that IHCL is looking to increase its presence in the Northeast across its brands to 30 hotels by 2030. 

He added that the company is looking to invest INR 25 billion ($293 million) in the region over the next three years. IHCL is also looking to build new tourist circuits and itineraries across all eight states in the region, Das added. 

“Our planned expansion into the northeast is backed by belief in sustainable luxury and community-led development. We currently have nine operating hotels and two luxury homestays,” he said. The company’s pipeline includes five upcoming hotels in Agartala, Itanagar, Guwahati, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh.

Delhi’s Terminal 1 Airport Roof Damaged

A part of the roof outside Delhi Airport’s domestic terminal T1 was damaged in the rainfall. The tensile fabric used as the roof in the arrival forecourt tore off due to water collection. No one was injured in the incident.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson said that there was no structural compromise or impact to other parts of the terminal. “Swift action was taken by the ground teams to restore normal conditions, ensuring safety and continuity of operations with minimal disruption,” the statement added. 

A similar incident had taken place last June when a canopy at the departure forecourt collapsed leading to one fatality and injuries to several other people. 

Meliá Hotels Launches ‘Atithi Program’ for Indian Groups

Spanish hotel chain Meliá Hotels International has unveiled an initiative designed for Indian groups. The ‘Atithi Program’ (guest program) has been created to welcome Indian groups traveling to Europe, the company said in a statement. 

It added that the program introduces specialized offerings for Indian tourists including culturally familiar aspects and Indian cuisine. The program also aims to cater to Indian weddings, corporate offsites, and celebratory getaways. 

For this, Meliá has curated a portfolio of hotels across key European destinations. All the properties are experienced in hosting Indian groups and events, it added.

Radisson Expands Presence in East India

Radisson Hotel Group has signed three new hotels in East India — Radisson Blu Hotel Deoghar, Jharkhand, Radisson RED Puri, Odisha, and Radisson Resort & Spa, Ranchi, Jharkhand. The three properties have a combined inventory of 400 keys. 

According to Nikhil Sharma, managing director in South Asia region for Radisson Hotel Group, the expansion is driven by growing momentum of spiritual, cultural, and medical tourism in India and these regions.