Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the 14th Conventions India Conclave in Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the 14th Conventions India Conclave-2023, held as a prelude to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit-2024. He emphasized that the success of the Vibrant Summit, which commenced in 2003 under the inspiration of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has shown Gujarat's ability to successfully organize global-level events.

He highlighted that due to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is now being positioned as a leading global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) destination, and Gujarat is well on its way to becoming the preferred choice for the MICE industry.

The three-day-long 14th Conventions India Conclave has been arranged by the State Government's Tourism Department in partnership with the India Conventions Promotion Bureau under the Ministry of Tourism, Central Government.

Anticipating over 400 participants, including delegates, exhibitors, and buyers, participating in B2B meetings and conferences, the conclave is poised to be a substantial platform.

Emphasizing that more than 40 percent of the revenue in the tourism sector is derived from the MICE industry, the Chief Minister highlighted the significant potential of this sector for employment generation and its extensive positive impact on the local economy. He emphasized the importance of giving due attention to this emerging industry.

The CM stated that guided by the leadership of the Prime Minister, India held the presidency of the G20, during which Gujarat concluded the successful planning of 17 events.

Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel underlined the growth of adventure tourism, heritage tourism, and religious tourism in Gujarat. He emphasized the state's shift towards conference tourism, highlighting prominent venues such as the Mahatma Mandir, Statue of Unity, Rann of Kutch, and Tent City, which have evolved into key destinations for hosting national and international conferences, concurrently promoting tourism.

Expressing confidence in the conclave-themed "Sustainable MICE Empowerment," the Chief Minister anticipated its significant contribution to realizing the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision, aimed at achieving a Five Trillion Dollar Economy.

The conclave witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), symbolizing a commitment to provide renewed impetus and direction to the MICE industries in Gujarat.

Tourism Minister Shri Mulubhai Bera, on this occasion, remarked that Gujarat has become a favored destination for global tourists. Renowned for its wealth of heritage sites, prehistoric landmarks, pilgrimage destinations, and natural wonders like the White Desert, Gujarat's mountains, forests, beaches, and deserts continue to captivate tourists.

Minister Shri Mulubhai Bera highlighted that Dhordo in Kutch recently earned the prestigious title of 'Best Tourism Village' from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNESCO). Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, various infrastructure facilities are being developed to enhance the travel experience for tourists worldwide.

Additionally, Minister Shri Mulubhai Bera shared that the Gujarat Tourism Corporation is actively promoting diverse forms of tourism, such as adventure, wildlife, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), medical, wellness, and river cruise tourism. Notably, MICE tourism, focused on organizing meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, is gaining significant momentum in Gujarat.

He emphasized that the ongoing conclave is an exclusive MICE event that brings together domestic and international meeting planners, along with Indian MICE industry suppliers, on a single platform. Gujarat's tourism policy emphasizes sustainable tourism, and the conclave is geared towards promoting sustainability. The primary objective is to showcase Gujarat's MICE infrastructure, attracting more international and domestic conferences to firmly establish Gujarat on the MICE map of India.

Tourism Secretary Shri Hareet Shukla mentioned that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Gujarat has made concerted efforts to boost the tourism sector, resulting in the state becoming the tourism hub of the country. Gujarat is the preferred choice for foreign tourists and holds the top position in domestic tourism, ranking fifth in the country. The state's unique cultural heritage attracts a significant number of tourists annually.

He also highlighted the successful hosting of numerous national and international events, including the Defense Expo, G-20, IPL, Cricket World Cup, and Vibrant Summit in Gujarat. As a leader in various fields, Gujarat is now focusing on the MICE sector, striving to become a leader in this domain as well. Efforts are underway to attract important global events to India, with a special focus on Gujarat.

Vice President of India Convention Promotion Bureau, Shri Amresh Tiwari, provided insights into the role of ICPB and offered a comprehensive overview of the current global scenario in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, along with its potential. Highlighting that MICE is an 800 billion dollar industry globally, he pointed out that India's current contribution is less than one percent. Acknowledging this gap, there has been a concerted effort, guided by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to develop the MICE sector in India. In line with this, the Ministry of Tourism of the Central Government is actively promoting the "India as a MICE Destination" campaign.

In the presence of the Chief Minister, TCGL (Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited) and ICPB signed a national Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, Indian Endodontic Society, AIDS Society of India, and Fire Safety Association of India. Additionally, international MoUs were signed with the International Congress and Conventions Association.

Officials from the India Conventions Promotion Bureau, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat, and leaders from the MICE sector graced the occasion with their presence.