Kerala is making a big move to bring more people from around the world. The state now sets up special offices, called MICE Promotion Bureaus, to attract large groups for meetings, events. business trips. This bold plan aims to make Kerala a top spot for world travelers and business gatherings, hoping for a major jump in money and jobs. This new step comes as Kerala looks to quickly expand its tourism business and gain a bigger share of the global travel market, promising a bright future for the region.
New Plans for Tourism Growth
The state of Kerala is planning a big step to boost its tourism business. There are talks to set up special offices, called MICE promotion bureaus, in major cities. The first of these offices is likely to be in Kochi. This plan came up as a key suggestion during the recent Wedding and MICE Conclave, a large event held in Kochi from August 14 to 16, 2025. The State Tourism Director, Sikha Surendran, said the government will look closely at these suggestions. The goal is to make Kerala a top choice for business meetings, conferences. big events, similar to how places in East Asia operate. This move aims to bring more large-scale events and related business to the state.
Understanding MICE Tourism
MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences. Exhibitions. This type of tourism is about people traveling for business purposes rather than just for holidays.
- Meetings: These are gatherings of people for business discussions, training, or product launches.
- Incentives: These are trips given to employees as a reward for good work.
- Conferences: These are large events where many people gather to share data and ideas on a specific topic.
- Exhibitions: These are shows where businesses display their products or services.
MICE tourism is vital because it brings many visitors who often spend more money than regular tourists. These visitors need places to stay, food, transport. other services, which helps local businesses and creates jobs.
Why Kerala is a Good Choice for Business Events
Kerala has many things that make it a good place for MICE tourism. It has beautiful nature, a rich culture. good facilities. The state has four international airports, which makes it easy for people from around the world to come. New national highways and other roads are also being built, improving travel within the state. The state also has major ports in Kochi and Vizhinjam, along with the Kochi Water Metro. There are many world-class hotels and large meeting places. The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, noted that Kerala has a good mix of business and leisure, with its wellness offerings, hill stations. backwater areas. The state has also successfully hosted vital global events, such as the G20 meetings, showing its ability to handle big gatherings. The state’s policies, including those that are friendly to the environment and promote responsible tourism, have also helped its reputation as a global destination.
Government Actions and Future Steps
The Kerala government is actively working to support the growth of MICE tourism. The State Budget for 2025-26 has set aside money to help build more hotels, offering loans of up to 50 crore rupees. There is also money put aside for promoting Kerala as a health and MICE tourism center around the world. Recently, the Kerala Cabinet approved a new liquor policy for the 2025-26 financial year. This policy aims to make hospitality services better and fit global standards. It allows bars to open in industrial and IT zones. lets three-star and higher hotels serve liquor on dry days with a special permit. These changes are expected to help hotels that host many company meetings, events. weddings. Tourism Minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas has stated that Kerala wants to be the main hub for MICE tourism and destination weddings in South Asia. He also mentioned plans for a new center to help startups in the tourism sector.
What Industry Leaders Think
Leaders in the tourism industry believe these steps are crucial for Kerala’s growth. Suman Billa, a top official from the Union Ministry of Tourism, said that MICE and wedding tourism offer a great chance for Kerala because of its strong focus on responsible tourism. He also said that these special areas of tourism need specific marketing. He stressed the idea of creating a dedicated MICE promotion bureau, like those in Singapore or Dubai, to bring all parts of the industry together.
Suman Billa said: “It is necessary to create an ecosystem focused on wedding and MICE tourism, for which the state government need to take the initiative.”
He also pointed out that Kerala has a chance to gain business worth 1 lakh crore rupees from wedding and MICE tourism. Jose Pradeep, the President of the Kerala Travel Mart Society, said that the recent Conclave helped Kerala set a high standard for wedding and MICE meetings. The event saw 6,623 business meetings. But, some industry figures, like Raju Kannampuzha, Managing Director of Executive Events. Jose Pradeep, have also highlighted the need for improvements in waste management and traffic control in places like Kochi to fully benefit from MICE tourism.
Benefits for the State
The growth of MICE tourism is expected to bring many good things for Kerala. It will not only increase money for the state but also create many jobs. These jobs will be in different areas like hotels, food services, meeting places, transport. entertainment. Also, MICE tourism generally has a low carbon footprint compared to other kinds of tourism, which fits well with Kerala’s focus on environmentally friendly practices. The state believes that with its natural beauty, cultural richness, good facilities. skilled people, it can turn corporate events into cultural discoveries and weddings into memorable experiences. The state tourism department and private industry are also encouraged to create their own “anchor events” to further promote MICE tourism globally. This focus on MICE tourism is part of Kerala’s wider plan to make its tourism offerings more diverse and boost its economic growth. The state aims to increase tourism’s contribution to its total economic output, with an ambitious goal of 30 percent. The efforts show a clear path for Kerala to become a major player in the global MICE market. 
