TravTalk India Online Magazine
The government has been aggressively promoting India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) as a frontal organisation for marketing India as a leading MiCE destination.
Kanchan Nath
The India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) is set to conduct its 2019 roadshows in London and Washington, according to Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB. He informed, “Many world associations are headquartered in London and a lot of American associations are in Washington. We’d perhaps like to have one roadshow in Australia, along with Asia Pacific Incentives Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne. Our roadshows this year witnessed a very good response in Paris, Zurich, Brussels and Geneva.”
Mansharamani further stated, “We at ICPB, will soon be introducing a report on the size of MiCE industry in India. An agency for the same has been appointed by the government. They are also looking at the new structure for ICPB. We need to restructure the entire body by appointing marketing managers, backup staff, among others.”
Kolkata was a beginning for opening our chapters. Having eight members there will help increase our membership across India. If you consider going around eight cities to open the chapters, we will be able to add on at least 100 members to ICPB
At ICPB’s recently-held annual general meeting, Mansharamani discussed the calendar of events and proposed to conduct four training programmes in a year. “We want to tie up with International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) in the USA for a certified programme. A residential programme will be conducted for two days while three other programmes will be held on different levels – entry level, project management and bidding. We also have plans to organise guest lectures once in three months to further drive our membership,” he revealed.
At the 11th Conventions India Conclave (CIC) 2018 held at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, Kolkata, ICPB launched its first chapter—West Bengal Chapter in Kolkata. “We are also set to hold the first meeting of this chapter to discuss the kind of activities West Bengal can organise to promote MiCE tourism, participate at international trade shows and attract more conferences to Kolkata,” Mansharamani elucidated.
On new initiatives being taken by ICPB, he said, “Kolkata was a beginning for opening our chapters. We have eight members there and this will help increase our membership across India. If you consider going around eight cities to open the chapters, we will be able to add on at least 100 members to ICPB. This will help us in creating a convention market pan-India. Just from being Delhi-centric, we now want to be an all-India-centric association.”
Mansharamani also reveals that they are in touch with three more states. “Kerala is yet to become a one-time member and are keen on hosting the conclave next year. This will help us open a chapter there too. We are also looking at the states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. We will be calling for bids from different states to decide where to head for the CIC conclave,” he assured.
In the Pipeline
- ICPB is set to tie up with International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) in the USA for a certified programme
- A residential programme will be conducted for two days while three other programmes will be held on different levels
- Guest lectures will also be organised once in three months to further drive membership
