Is Mumbai the new hub for MICE events in India?
Besides being the financial hub, Mumbai has a great mix of leisure options as well as a lot of MICE facilities. To leverage this segment, the city is gearing up for more conference venues
DENCY MATHEW In
the past few years, Mumbai has earned itself a bad reputation as far as infrastructure and transportation are concerned. But, now it is once again edging itself as being the MICE capital of the country with world-class spaces to conduct meetings, exhibitions, conferences and tours.
D Kavarana, Area Manager (West) & General Manager, ITC Maratha says “Mumbai is fast becoming a huge MICE destination because, besides being the financial hub, the city has a great mix of leisure and relaxation options as well as increasing MICE facilities. To leverage this segment, the city is gearing up to new supplies, more conference venues leading to both domestic and international companies choosing Mumbai. Therefore, Mumbai will always be a good option to hold conventions.”
Some of country’s major conferences, meetings and exhibitions take place in Mumbai. The city has something to offer to anyone interested in Business Tourism. ITC Maratha, Trident, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel are some of the venues for a majority of MICE events in the city. Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel hosts a lounge with a total area of 12,500 sq ft. The hotel also has an expansive spread of 2,30,000 sq ft indoor and outdoor convention space.
Properties like ITC Maratha take advantage of the close proximity to domestic and international airports and offer 7,360 sq ft column-free ballroom that accommodates up to 600 guests. The hotel also has Royal Gardens which has 1.5 acres of landscaped gardens and is one of the most sought after venues for social and launch events.
Apart from hotels, MMRDA Grounds and Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre ( BCEC) are the other favourite venues in Mumbai. BCEC has 4 centrally air- conditioned halls ideal for conventions and can accommodate approx 7,000- 20,000 persons along with parking facilities for over 2,000 vehicles. They also offer a discounted tariff structure to encourage organising of conventions, meetings, cultural events. What also favours, Mumbai is the fact that many head offices of major companies are based out of the city and it also has a big percentage of Expat movement. In addition to that, high volumes of inbound and outbound trade are conducted through the sea in Mumbai besides the
However, there are still a few issues plaguing the city and hampering MICE events. Mumbai needs a makeover in certain aspects and the local government needs to take on a bigger role and help establish a MICE bureau in the city.
Saeid Heidari, General Manager, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel adds, “There is a need to establish a body (bureau), where association management companies, MICE and meeting planners can expect to have all the possible assistance extended to them, to enable potential corporate to choose our city as the destination for their events.”