MICE Talk

The highly anticipated 14th Edition of the Travel MICE & Corporate Show by DDP Group is set to convene the global MICE and corporate travel fraternity on 18–19 July. Renowned as a premier invite-only forum, the event is meticulously curated to foster high-level connections between the industry’s most desirable professionals.

Oman recorded 331,365 Indian arrivals from January to May 2026, up 36 per cent year-on-year, its strongest five-month performance from India, despite regional uncertainty and shifting travel sentiment across the wider region. May alone saw 81,797 arrivals, up 67 per cent over May 2025 and the highest single-month figure on record, while January grew 61 per cent to 65,816.

Japan’s experiential attractions and high-tech landscape has propelled it as a favourable MICE destination among Indian corporates. JNTO reports the average group size from India to be about 100-200 persons with an average stay duration of 5 days. Japan’s MICE market has moved beyond Tokyo to secondary cities like Okinawa, Hokkaido, and Osaka. These cities have developed experiential activities to attract tourists like ice-walking, sub-tropical beaches, and cultural attractions.

A global BCD Travel survey found 90 per cent of business travellers use employer-provided booking tools, while 72 per cent use them every time, signalling faster digitisation in managed travel. Air and hotel dominate usage, with 93 per cent booking flights and 88 per cent booking hotels through such platforms. Yet service gaps remain: 34 per cent cite poor search results, 31 per cent flag limited choice or availability, and 31 per cent find prices worse than other channels.

The biggest debate in incentive travel today is no longer where to go, but whether the destination feels stable enough to commit to. By Janice Alyosius A few years ago, incentive travel conversations usually began with destinations, gala venues, and experience ideas. Today, the initial questions are very different. Can flight costs remain stable for the next three months? Is the airline route reliable? What happens if geopolitical tensions escalate suddenly?

According to a new GBTA and Grab For Business study, safety has emerged as the top priority for 75 per cent of business travellers across Southeast Asia. Verified drivers and clear driver/vehicle information were each cited by 57 per cent of respondents, while emergency support features and live trip-sharing were valued by 54 per cent each. The study also found that ground transport remains critical to business travel, with 78 per cent using it for airport-to-hotel transfers.

Within 2.5 months of launching its dedicated Corporate Travel vertical, Mach Travel Solutions has onboarded 50-plus corporate accounts, reflecting a rising demand for enterprise travel management in India. Launched in April 2026, the vertical marks the company’s expansion beyond its traditional MICE-led, project-based business into recurring corporate travel relationships.

Australia has introduced dedicated Bid Fund support for Indian incentive groups of at least 400 delegates, aiming to convert more short-term corporate and MICE movements from India before 31 May 2027. Business Events Australia has expanded its India focus through the Business Events Bid Fund Program, offering subvention funding to reduce on-ground event costs.

Responding to growing demand for smarter business travel solutions, SAP Concur has launched Concur Travel experience in India. According to its 2026 Global Business Travel Survey, 54 per cent of Indian business travellers want AI tools integrated with calendars and email, while 53 per cent seek proactive booking notifications.

Partnership with JWC GmbH aims to strengthen the Maharashtra Convention Bureau’s ability to attract international conventions and exhibitions. Competition for international conventions is intensifying, and destinations are increasingly relying on specialist expertise to secure a larger share of the global business events market. Maharashtra’s latest move reflects a growing recognition that infrastructure alone is no longer enough to win major events.