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ICPB MICE Planner

Convention centres and meeting hotels across India — capacities, meeting spaces, facilities and contacts, in one searchable guide.

Incredible India, known the world over for its heritage, monuments, yoga, Ayurveda and cuisine, is also a destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events.

Excellent international and domestic connectivity, world-class airports and a strong presence of leading international hotel brands in metro and tier-II cities make India a preferred destination for any discerning MICE planner. The ICPB MICE Planner brings India's convention venues together as a ready reference for conference organisers planning an event in India.

Find a venue

Venues
73
Cities
23
Regions
5
Largest space
7,000 guests
Region guide

East India

Gone are the days when luxury hospitality in East India was confined to a handful of five-star hotels. A slew of luxury, global hospitality high-rises have come up, some of them luxury landmarks of the East, and cities like Kolkata and Bhubaneswar are gearing up — from the mid-segment to the luxury market — with state-of-the-art banquet facilities for MICE events.

The North East is famous for its tribal handicraft traditions: bamboo work, pottery, clay, paintings and handlooms, along with its wide variety of tea, Assam silk, shawls and tribal jewellery.

Weather

The climate is temperate, with cool summers and not-so-cold winters. Heavy rains fall from May to September. Winter is very pleasant, with wonderfully blue skies and sunshine.

Cities with MICE facilities

  • Bhubaneswar
  • Bodh Gaya
  • Guwahati
  • Kolkata
  • Patna
Post-tour & incentive destinations 7
  • Darjeeling — A mesmerising hill station in West Bengal of lush green hills, serene monasteries and tea plantations.
  • Sundarbans National Park — A world heritage site, tiger reserve and biosphere reserve in the Sundarban delta of West Bengal.
  • Nalanda — Founded in the fifth century AD, an ancient seat of learning with the remains of the great university, monasteries, temples and viharas.
  • Kolkata — The 'Cultural Capital of India' and the most unique metropolis of the country.
  • Konark — An architectural marvel and symbol of India's heritage — the Sun Temple in Odisha.
  • Bhubaneswar — Capital of Odisha which, with Konark and Puri, forms the Golden Triangle of Odisha tourism.
  • Bodhgaya — One of the most important sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centres in the world.

Showing 11 of 73 venues

Convention Centre
Kolkata · East

Biswa Bangla Convention Centre

Max capacity
3,000
Spaces
7
Rooms
—
Hotel
Kolkata · East

ITC Royal Bengal

Max capacity
2,300
Spaces
8
Rooms
456
Hotel
Kolkata · East

Hyatt Regency

Max capacity
1,000
Spaces
15
Rooms
233
Hotel
Kolkata · East

ITC Sonar

Max capacity
750
Spaces
12
Rooms
237,
Hotel
Kolkata · East

JW Marriott

Max capacity
400
Spaces
12
Rooms
281
Hotel
Kolkata · East

Novotel Kolkata – Hotel & Residences

Max capacity
575
Spaces
14
Rooms
340
Hotel
Kolkata · East

Swissotel

Max capacity
800
Spaces
15
Rooms
147
Hotel
Kolkata · East

The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat

Max capacity
1,300
Spaces
6
Rooms
314
Heritage Venue
Kolkata · East

The Oberoi Grand

Max capacity
1,000
Spaces
6
Rooms
209
Resort
Chilika · East

Swosti Chilika Resort

Max capacity
3,000
Spaces
6
Rooms
78
Hotel
Bhubaneswar · East

Swosti Premium

Max capacity
1,000
Spaces
11
Rooms
—

Venue information as published in the ICPB MICE Planner (information updated on 31 December 2019). Details can change — please confirm capacities and availability directly with the venue.

Guide to submitting a successful bid

  1. Pre-bid activities — preliminary assessment by the local chapter

    • Frequency: how often is the event held?
    • Location: previous host countries?
    • Competition: who else is bidding?
    • Attendance: number of delegates expected?
    • Timings: which period is preferred?
    • Decision making: who will be selecting the venue?
    • Technicalities: what are the deadlines?

  2. Intent to the world body for the bid

  3. Submission of the bid document

  4. Presentation of the bid

  5. After the bid is won

  6. Appointment / selection

    • PCOs
    • Venue / hotels

Convention bids — supporting documents

  1. Accessibility (access details) — airports and main carriers; railway connections; road access.
  2. List of hotels — consolidated, not individual brochures: categorisation / tariff range (luxury, mid-range, budget); number of rooms, indicating handicap facilities; number and sizes of meeting / exhibition facilities (LxBxH); capacities of facilities for various set-ups; website links.
  3. List of stand-alone convention / conference facilities — number of meeting rooms and dimensions (LxBxH); capacities for various set-ups; exhibition hall sizes.
  4. Seasonality map — high, low and shoulder seasons; temperature and rainfall charts.
  5. City information, preferably with video — a map indicating hotels, convention centres, airports, railway stations and points of interest; a write-up on the history of the city, if relevant.
  6. Recreational facilities at the destination, supported by brochures if possible — local sightseeing; day trips and excursions; cultural activities; shopping (specialties, sale periods).
  7. List of relevant institutions / associations — e.g. for doctors' conferences, a list of hospitals with relevant facilities and well-known medical specialists.
  8. List of conference organisers / meeting planners with contacts and past client references.
  9. Availability of local convention infrastructure — audio-visual equipment; broadband access.

How ICPB members can assist

The members of the Bureau, with their expertise, extend the assistance needed to handle conferences in India involving trade associations and industry counterparts:

  • Budgeting of the event
  • Worldwide promotion and publicity of the event, including production of promotion materials
  • Air transportation of conference publicity materials
  • Airport receptions and departures
  • Inaugural and closing ceremonies
  • Booking of accommodation, including meeting halls
  • Social / cultural programmes
  • Theme parties, food and beverage services
  • Sightseeing / pre- and post-conference tours
  • Special interest activities
  • Recording of proceedings, simultaneous interpretation, printing of congress proceedings, public relations, protocol etc.
  • Accounts and audit

Find a partner in the ICPB members directory, or contact the India Tourism office for the region you are planning in.

Market Development Assistance (MDA) for bids

To give a boost to MICE tourism, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India extends its Market Development Assistance scheme to Active Members of ICPB bidding for international conferences and conventions. Indian associations and societies receive support on winning a bid, or on finishing second or third. ICPB is the nodal agency for the scheme.

Conference sizeWinner of the bid2nd or 3rd position
Category I — 500 pax and above₹4.50 lakh₹1.50 lakh
Category II — 200 to 500 pax₹2.50 lakh₹1.00 lakh

An additional ₹1 lakh is given to the winner of the bid when the conference / convention is held in the off season, between 15 April and 15 September.

Why the scheme exists
The MICE segment has emerged as a substantially high component of growth in inbound tourism. Most countries constantly endeavour to attract MICE clientele through bids for various international conventions, conferences, seminars and the like.

International organisations and societies regularly hold their conferences and conventions in different destinations. Indian societies/members are entitled to bid to bring these conferences to India, and to do so they prepare bid documents as per the manuals of the international societies, make audio-visual and PowerPoint presentations, travel to different countries to make the bid, host receptions, and produce and distribute brochures, souvenirs and leaflets. Assistance for such activities can be provided by Active Members of ICPB.

To give a boost to MICE tourism, the Government of India extends the benefits of the Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme, administered by the Ministry of Tourism, to Active Members of ICPB towards bidding for international conferences and conventions. Associations/societies are given financial support on winning the bid or on obtaining second or third position in the bidding process, subject to the terms and conditions below.
Terms and conditions
4. The Ministry of Tourism has made ICPB the nodal agency for steering the scheme of extending MDA to its Active Members, who in turn motivate Indian travel planners, societies and associations to bid for international conventions/conferences to the country.

5. Planners/societies approach ICPB Active Members for help in preparing a professional bid document, making the presentation, or any other assistance or professional support. Ministry of Tourism assistance under the scheme is based on this.

6. The financial support is provided to Active Members of ICPB, who release it to the Indian association/society after bidding, provided they win the bid or stand second or third among the bidders — Category I (500 pax and above): ₹4.50 lakh for the winner, ₹1.50 lakh for second or third position. Category II (200–500 pax): ₹2.50 lakh for the winner, ₹1.00 lakh for second or third position. During the off season (15 April to 15 September) an additional ₹1 lakh is given to the winner, once the Active Member has submitted documents proving the conference actually took place in that period. ICPB also certifies and furnishes supporting documents proving that the bidder won or stood second or third.

7. Assistance to an association/society is limited to once in a financial year. The credibility of the association and the relevance of the convention are taken into consideration.

8. The ICPB Active Member must not be under investigation, or charged, prosecuted, debarred or blacklisted by the Ministry of Tourism or any other Government agency, and must furnish a declaration to this effect.

9. The applicant furnishes a declaration: "I hereby declare that I have not claimed/received any financial assistance for this bidding activity from any other Government/Government Agency."

10. Where there are several applications, priority is given to Active Members who have not availed financial assistance under the MDA Scheme in the past.
Applying for prior approval
11. Eligible Active Members of ICPB must obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Tourism before undertaking the promotional activity. The application (Annexure I) is submitted directly to the Assistant Director General (A&RT), Ministry of Tourism, Transport Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi, at least 45 days in advance, with:

a) proof of approval as an Active Member of ICPB, with a letter from ICPB certifying the applicant's antecedents/credentials and supporting the application;
b) details of financial assistance availed during the last three years from the Government, including the Ministry of Commerce/FIEO and the Ministry of Tourism.
Claiming the assistance
12. After the tour abroad, the Active Member submits the MDA claim (Annexure II) to the Ministry of Tourism immediately on return to India, and positively within one month of return, with:

a) a legible photocopy of the passport showing departure from and arrival in India and the countries visited (or other evidence such as hotel bills or boarding passes);
b) the original air ticket/jacket with three self-certified photocopies, and a statement of the travellers' names, ticket numbers, flight numbers, dates of departure and return, sectors/countries visited, class of travel, and the economy excursion fare for those sectors;
c) a brief report on the tour and the presentation made, with documentary proof of winning the bid or standing second or third.

13. Claims received more than one month after return to India, or where notified deficiencies are not completed within 30 days, will be rejected.

14. An 'Active Member' is one recognised in the active category as per the rules of ICPB.

15. The decision of the Ministry is final and binding on all applicants.

More meeting hotels are listed in the MICE Planner Annex.

Planning an event in India?

ICPB and its members can help at every stage — from the bid to delivery.

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Last updated 18 Sep 2026