Top MICE destinations in India for your next work meeting or conference

Mumbai's role as the country's financial hub acts like a magnet to MICE Organizers both local and foreign.(Photo: Unsplash)

During India’s G20 Presidency, more than 200 meetings were organised in 56 cities across the country. It generated unprecedented interest at national and international level and showcased India’s robust infrastructure for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and cultural and natural heritage to the world. In the interim Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised the success of the G20 Summit and said that the country is now slowly becoming a popular destination for “business and conference tourism.”

Late last year, the Ministry of Tourism worked out a model for setting up a city-level MICE Promotion Bureau at important destinations for facilitating and promoting the city as a MICE destination. It also launched a dedicated brand called ‘Meet in India’ to promote India as a conference tourism destination.

From the snow-capped Himalayas, the stunning deserts of Rajasthan and the sun-kissed beaches of Goa, India offers a myriad of destinations that seamlessly blend business with adventure.

Here are the top MICE destinations in India where the fusion of work and pleasure creates unforgettable experiences:

Delhi

Red Fort, Old Delhi. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

India's capital city has always been a major hub for trade and politics. Delhi is a well-liked MICE destination because of its top-notch infrastructure, historical sites, and accessibility to major retail centres. There’s an array of aesthetically created meeting centres that range from the Dilli Haats in Janak Puri, Pitampura and INA to the natural beauty of the idyllic Garden of Five Senses, the massive Vigyan Bhawan, The India International Centre, Habitat Centre, IG Indoor Stadium, Talkatora Stadium and the opera hall sized Siri Fort Auditorium. The recently redeveloped IECC Complex finds its place among the Top 10 Exhibition and Convention Complexes in the world, rivaling the colossal names such as  the Hannover Exhibition Centre in Germany, the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai.

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Mumbai's role as the country's financial hub acts like a magnet to MICE Organisers both local and foreign. World-class technology, expansive exhibition halls and seamless connectivity are the main attractions here. The city is continually creating new experiences and enhancing the ones that currently exist in order to satisfy the evolving demands of MICE travellers. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has good international connectivity as well as the kind of infrastructure required for MICE business. Along with upscale meeting venues in hotels, large conferences and inter-cultural extravaganzas can also be held at NCPA, Nehru Centre and World Trade Centre. Bombay Exhibition Centre, MMRDA ground and JIO Gardens in BKC make excellent venues for exhibitions cum congresses.

Bengaluru, Karnataka

Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, Karnataka. (Photo via Unsplash)

While Delhi and Mumbai remain favourites for business travellers, Bengaluru has become an increasingly popular meeting destination for international companies to host events. Large gatherings are simple to hold in the city because there are plenty of hotels and conference spaces. In addition to being a great destination for business, Bengaluru also has plenty of cultural events, including theatres, museums, art galleries and retail outlets for leisure. WTCA Global Business Forum, India Digital Enabler Awards, Global Startup Summit, India CFO Summit are some of the big MICE events lined up this year in the city.

Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur in Rajasthan

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan. (Photo via Unsplash)

One of India’s top tourism destinations Rajasthan seamlessly blends business with the allure of adventure. From trade shows, global conferences, international expos, to literature festivals, several large-scale events are held here every year. The Jaipur Literature Festival held for the past 15 years has turned out to be a world-class event. The state has also hosted the 12th Great Indian Travel Bazaar which saw 283 tour operators from 56 different nations participate. A similar event, the Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM), was held recently with participation from 200 sellers and an equal number of buyers. With facilities like well equipped convention centers, good and cheap transportation and communication facilities, along with good hotel accommodation Rajasthan offers everything a business traveller would want. Many venues provide sight-seeing and cultural tours for MICE tourists as a part of their service. With endless attractions like forts, palaces, natural landscapes as well as places for adventure activities, there are several options here for travellers with varied interests.

Kerala

Fort Kochi, Kochi, Kerala. (Photo: Unsplash)

Kerala with its fine blend of culture, natural settings and state-of-the-art facilities for business meetings, conferences and exhibitions is fast emerging as a popular MICE destination. The second G20 Sherpas meeting took place in the picturesque village of Kumarakom. The state has three international airports and several domestic airports, world-class convention centers and hotels with state-of-the-art facilities for MICE events. Major brand hotels such as Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and Taj have a strong brand presence in Kerala. The ravishing backwater, breath taking beaches and the mist-laden plantation hills provide some of the best venues for business events in the state. And to top this, is the people factor! The locals are a cheerful lot, always willing to extend a helping hand.

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Charminar, old city, Hyderabad. (Photo: Bindu Gopal Rao)

The City of Pearls ticks all the right boxes. It is well-equipped with the necessary infrastructure for hospitality, easily accessible by road, train, and air, rich in history, and offers a wide range of experiences from traditional arts to cuisine. To put it briefly, it's the perfect location for a corporate conference or convention. As a technology hub, Hyderabad has a perfect blend of convention facilities supported with a sufficient number of national and international hotel brands to host world class business events. The Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) and Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) have helped to promote the MICE business in the city. Apart from hosting two G20 presidency-related summits in 2023 Hyderabad has been the base for many international conferences and conventions including Travel and Tourism Fair in the recent past.

Goa

Goa, Maharashtra. (Photo via Unsplash)

Though Goa has long been associated with fun and relaxation, it is quickly becoming a popular MICE tourism destination for Indian corporate travellers. From offsite meetings to leisure gatherings, companies choose to upend the morale of their teams and strategize growth with team bonding. According to Meera Charnalia, senior vice president and head, MICE, Thomas Cook (India), Goa is a preferred MICE destination across sectors including banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), automobile and paint as the state offer a combination of great value, relaxed atmosphere and a delightful gastronomic experience. In addition to investing in infrastructural development including new highways and larger airports, the state government has also introduced interesting activities like helicopter rides, hot air balloon, seaplanes and more to create further allure for the destination. Founders' Retreat Goa, International Conference on Management and Information Technology, CXO 100 Summit, National Conference Osicon and Advances in Robotics are some of the major business events lined up in the sunshine state.

Varanasi and Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh. (Photo via Unsplash)

Uttar Pradesh with its big convention spaces, five star hotels and plethora of pilgrim spots is fast emerging as a top MICE destination. The state has three UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites: Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and Agra fort which are prime attraction for MICE travellers. While Noida, Lucknow, Ghaziabad and Agra are the conventional MICE favourites, Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj are proving to be upcoming MICE getaways. Apart from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi also has the shivaling shaped Rudraksha International Convention Centre with a seating capacity of 1,200, a gallery and meeting rooms that are ideal for MICE events. A state-of the art cruise ship and Ro-Ro boats add to the allure. To top it all the state offers 50-70 per cent incentives to corporates organising MICE.