ICPB Shifts to Advisory Role as India Builds MICE Bureaus

The India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) is transitioning to an advisory role as the country builds out a network of state- and city-level MICE bureaus, according to TTGmice reporting from early September 2026. The shift reflects a recognition that a single central body cannot effectively promote business events for a country as large and geographically diverse as India.

Telangana currently operates the only dedicated city-level bureau — the Hyderabad Convention Visitors Bureau — while Maharashtra is planning its own city-level MICE bureau to coordinate the state’s major convention centres and five-star hotel inventory. The Ministry of Tourism has said it hopes to have at least five city-level MICE promotion bureaus operating by the end of 2026.

Why Is India Decentralising MICE Promotion?

India’s MICE industry has been expanding beyond metro cities as improved infrastructure and connectivity make secondary and tertiary cities viable for exhibitions and conferences. A single national bureau structured around Delhi-centric decision-making has struggled to give these emerging destinations the dedicated marketing, bid support and local coordination that international meeting planners expect. City- and state-level bureaus, modelled on global convention bureau practice, are meant to close that gap by giving each destination its own dedicated promotion body and single point of contact for event organisers.

What Does This Mean for India’s Global MICE Competitiveness?

ICPB has asked the Ministry of Tourism to back the new bureau network with an aggressive global marketing campaign, arguing that fragmented promotion has held India back from converting its venue capacity — including large facilities like Yashobhoomi in Delhi and the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai — into a proportionate share of global business events. The stated goal across recent government statements has been to double India’s share of the global MICE market within five years, a target that depends heavily on how quickly the new city bureaus become operational and credible with international event organisers.

Industry Reaction and Expert Commentary

Ministry of Tourism officials, including ICPB chairman Hari Kishore, have framed the bureau rollout as an institutional reform rather than a reduction in ICPB’s role, with ICPB expected to provide advisory support, training and coordination to the new state and city bodies rather than compete with them for the same mandate. The Ministry has also indicated it wants to set up a matching MICE corpus fund with states in FY2026-27 to help capitalise the new bureaus.

What Happens Next?

More states are expected to announce their own city-level MICE bureaus over the coming months as the Ministry of Tourism works toward its target of five operational bureaus by the end of 2026. Event organisers and international meeting planners will be watching for clearer single-window bid support as the new structure comes online.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB)?

ICPB is India’s national body for promoting the country as a destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), historically acting as the primary bid and promotion body for international events.

Why is ICPB moving to an advisory role?

A single central bureau has struggled to promote India’s diverse regional MICE destinations effectively, prompting a shift toward dedicated state- and city-level bureaus with ICPB providing advisory and coordination support.

Which Indian city already has a dedicated MICE bureau?

Hyderabad, through the Hyderabad Convention Visitors Bureau in Telangana, is currently the only city with a dedicated city-level MICE promotion bureau; Maharashtra is planning to launch its own.