Tourism Official Advocates City Convention Bureaus to Boost MICE Industry

Swift Summary

• Event and Advocate for MICE Bureaus: Suman Billa, Director-General in the Union Ministry of Tourism, advocated for creating city-level convention bureaus to enhance India’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector during the ‘IEIA Connect-Focus South’ event organized by the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA).
• Shift from Venue-Centric to Ecosystem-centric Model: He called for transitioning from a venue-focused approach to an ecosystem-centric model involving multiple stakeholders such as hotels, venues, caterers, technicians among others.
• Hosting G20 Summit Highlighted Capabilities: Mr. Billa cited India’s accomplished hosting of the G20 Summit as evidence of it’s infrastructure and ability to hold world-class events.
• Global Best Practices: Drawing comparisons with Singapore, Dubai, London, and Frankfurt where similar bureaus exist; he suggested that city-level bureaus in India could improve efficiency through institutional structures promoting collaboration.
• City-Specific event Focus Suggested: Chennai could focus on automobile-related events; Bengaluru/Hyderabad on tech events; Kochi on wellness; Visakhapatnam on maritime business/trade.
• Attendees at Event: Prominent tourism-sector officials including IEIA President Sooraj Dhawan and government representatives from Tamil Nadu tourism Development Corporation and Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation were present.

Indian opinion Analysis

Suman billa’s proposal to establish city-level MICE convention bureaus spotlights India’s ambition to become a importent player in global event-hosting industries.Shifting focus from venue-centric operations towards an ecosystem-based collaboration would streamline processes while enhancing competitiveness. Such structural changes may also bolster employment opportunities across ancillary sectors like hospitality and logistics.

By leveraging India’s existing expertise demonstrated during high-profile summits such as G20 along with regional specializations (e.g., automotive in Chennai or tech hubs like Bengaluru), these targeted efforts could amplify market positioning. However, actualizing these goals would require cohesive policy frameworks aligned between cities/states coupled with robust infrastructural preparation akin to international examples cited by Mr. Billa. Sustainable execution will be key here-balancing development without overstretching resources while maintaining attractiveness for global businesses remains critical.

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