India’s first dedicated Wedding and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) Conclave began in Kochi today, bringing together industry stakeholders from India and abroad to explore opportunities in this growing tourism segment.

Inaugurating the three-day event at Grand Hyatt Bolgatty, Kerala’s Tourism and Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said, “Our state offers an unmatched combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, world class infrastructure and highly efficient professionals. Here dreams are not just celebrated; they truly come alive,” he said, while inaugurating the conclave.

Chairing the ceremony at the Grand Hyatt in Bolgatty was Minister for Industries, Coir and Law P Rajeeve. State Tourism Secretary Biju K made a presentation, highlighting the immense possibilities of Kerala as a world-class Wedding and MICE Destination.

The event aims to fully utilize the potential of tourism related to personal celebrations besides MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions). The next two days’ proceedings, featuring trade meetings and exhibitions, will be held at Le Meridien in suburban Kundannur.

Riyas, highlighting Kerala’s distinction of being a topper in having star hotels and resorts in the country, said every celebration or corporate gathering in the state is backed by world-class hospitality and comfort.

The state has the capacity to turn a corporate conference into a cultural discovery, just as a wedding can become an “immersive journey” through tradition, beauty and taste. “Whether it’s an intimate celebration, a grand international convention, or an incentive trip for your top performers, Kerala delivers experiences that are distinctive and unforgettable,” he said.

“Imagine a wedding shoot framed by the shimmering backwaters, or an elegant reception in a centuries-old fort, where cuisines delight the palate with authentic Kerala flavours alongside global fare,” Riyas said. Also, the state boasts of an exceptional network of professional and creative event partners, who bring precision, flair and innovation to every occasion, while perfecting every detail from décor to entertainment, he noted.

Minister Rajeeve highlighted Kerala’s distinction as the state with the highest number of five-star hotels in the country. Renowned the world over for its infrastructure and hospitality, the state has an edge over other places due to the cooperation and participation of the local community through responsible tourism, he added.

The summit, according to Rajeeve, is Kerala’s statement towards sustainable development. “The state is a safe space for tourists, has good social environment and a government fully prepared to work with the tourism industry,” he said.

Kerala has 94 five-star hotels, 420 four-star and 607 three-star hotels, all of which put the state atop the national list. Besides, the state has four international airports, even as cruise tourism and the world’s first water metro increase its importance. An amount of Rs 3,760 crore has been allocated for canal development, which, once completed, will herald a “great change” in Kerala’s transport system and tourism.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director-General of the Department of Tourism, said Kerala should consider setting up a MICE Promotion Bureau similar to ones prevailing in East Asian countries. While the world’s wedding and MICE sector is worth $1 trillion, India’s contribution to it was 1.8 per cent, he noted in the keynote address at the event. “As a country with good growth, this will increase,” he said, suggesting Kerala to create a tourism ecosystem to utilize this rise.

Hibi Eden, MP, said Kerala enjoyed “all kinds of support, regardless of politics”, to present itself as a major wedding and MICE centre to the world. He requested the Union Ministry of Tourism to pay more attention to the uniqueness of tourism of historically cosmopolitan West Kochi comprising the twin towns of Mattanchery and Fort Kochi.

Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran said the decades-long collaboration between the government and the tourism industry has eventually led the sector to explore new areas.

Welcoming delegates, KTM Society President Jose Pradeep said the summit will bring all the stakeholders in the wedding and MICE sector under one umbrella and thereby achieve mutual benefits. “This will pave the way for Kerala Tourism to assert its dominance in a new sector,” he added.

KTM Secretary S Swaminathan, in his vote of thanks, termed the Wedding MICE Summit as the “best example of public-private collaboration” in the tourism sector.

Others present included Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar, Kerala Tourism Additional Director-General Sreedhanya Suresh, KTM former presidents Shri Jose Dominic, EM Najeeb, Riyaz Ahmed, Abraham George and Baby Mathew Somatheeram.

More than 675 buyers from within and outside the country are participating in the event. Of them, 610 are from within the country and the rest from abroad. Representatives have arrived from countries such as the UAE, UK, Germany, USA, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Oman, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Overall, 75 exhibition stalls have been set up for sellers. In addition, there are stalls from KTDC, Kerala Tourism and the Union Ministry of Tourism. Besides trade meetings from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m, seminars will also be held with the participation of international experts in the field.