Odisha Launches India’s First Dedicated MICE Incentive Portal to Boost Business Tourism
Bhubaneswar: Odisha has taken a significant step towards strengthening its position in the business tourism sector with the launch of a dedicated MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Incentive Portal.
The initiative aims to attract large-scale corporate events, conventions, exhibitions, destination weddings and experiential tourism activities to the state.
The portal was inaugurated by Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, during a tourism roundtable organised jointly by the state Tourism Department and FICCI as part of the Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026.
According to the Tourism Department, Odisha has become the first state in the country to introduce a dedicated digital platform focused on promoting MICE tourism and facilitating incentive applications for event organisers.
Speaking at the event, Pravati Parida said the state government is committed to creating a transparent and investor-friendly ecosystem by ensuring faster approvals, policy support and targeted capital subsidies for tourism-related projects.
She highlighted Odisha’s rich heritage, cultural diversity, cuisine and scenic destinations as strong attractions for conferences, corporate gatherings and destination weddings.
Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh emphasised the opportunities available under the Odisha Tourism Investment Policy and reiterated the government’s focus on heritage tourism, sports tourism and business events.
He said enhanced infrastructure and policy support would help position Odisha as a preferred destination for national and international conventions.
During the roundtable, Sabbas Joseph, Chairman of the FICCI MICE Tourism Committee and Co-founder of Wizcraft, suggested integrating Odisha’s unique cultural assets, artisan traditions and culinary heritage into business event experiences to create distinctive tourism offerings.
Celebrity chef and Odisha cuisine brand ambassador Ranveer Brar stressed the importance of preserving cultural authenticity while promoting tourism.
He proposed a comprehensive mapping of venues, traditional food experiences, local storytellers, festivals and artisan communities to strengthen the state’s tourism ecosystem.
The roundtable brought together government officials, tourism stakeholders and industry experts to discuss strategies for improving infrastructure, service standards and operational frameworks.
The launch of the portal is expected to enhance Odisha’s visibility in the competitive MICE segment while creating new opportunities for tourism-driven economic growth
