ICPB’s 15th CIC 2026 kicks off in Delhi; hosted buyer programme launched
Inauguration-3
The inauguration day started with the theme panel discussion, ‘Powering the Future of Innovation’ that explored the future of business events, innovation and India's growing role in the global MICE landscape.
The India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) kicked off its 15th Convention India Conclave (CIC) 2026 on August 19, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where the first day recorded participation of 112 domestic buyers, 25 foreign nationals, and over 400 registrations. The event brought together the convention centres, hotels, destinations, Professional Conference Organisers (PCOS), DMCs, event management companies, corporates, industry associations, government organisations, tourism boards and leading international and domestic buyers under one platform.
The event was inaugurated by the Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and the Minister of Tourism of Delhi, Kapil Mishra, along with other dignitaries. The event is being organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, jointly organised with the support of Delhi Tourism as the host state partner and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) as the venue partner.
Chander Mansharmani, Chairman, 15th Convention India Conclave Organising Committee, shared the importance of bringing the entire MICE ecosystem together on a common platform to facilitate meaningful business connections and strengthen India's position in the global MICE landscape.
He further highlighted, “NITI Aayog has recently launched a good initiative encouraging states to establish their own MICE bureaus. The response has been encouraging, with several states stepping forward. While Maharashtra has established a bureau, it is yet to become fully operational. I have been directly involved in Andhra Pradesh, where the bureau structure is already formed and established. ICPB acts as an advisory body guiding states in setting up these bureaus, and we are currently addressing requests from multiple regions. Furthermore, a significant policy push from the Government of India is actively encouraging the development of state-level bureaus.”
The inauguration day started with the theme panel discussion, ‘Powering the Future of Innovation’ that explored the future of business events, innovation and India's growing role in the global MICE landscape. Dr Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA, delivered a keynote on “Convening the Future: How Global Business Events Drive Innovation, Knowledge Exchange, and Sustainable Economic Growth.”
A key highlight of CIC 2026 is its carefully curated hosted buyer programme, designed to facilitate direct interaction between exhibitors and influential decision-makers from India and overseas.
The domestic hosted buyer programme confirmed participation of more than 100 hosted buyers represent more than 90 leading associations, scientific bodies, academic institutions, healthcare organisations, corporates and industry chambers. The international hosted buyer programme also aimed at strengthening the global dimension of CIC 2026, bringing senior professionals and decision-makers from key MICE source markets across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia.
The 15th CIC is expected to serve as an important platform for business generation, knowledge sharing, destination promotion, international networking and industry collaboration, while providing stakeholders with opportunities to explore new partnerships and expand their presence in the rapidly growing MICE market.
(Edited and compiled by Kartika Kiran)
