NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra Convention Bureau (MCB), Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) have launched the Conference Ambassador Programme, a new initiative aimed at attracting major international conferences, congresses and business events to Mumbai.

The programme will bring together leading Indian association professionals, industry experts and subject-matter specialists to champion international conference bids and strengthen Mumbai's position as a global destination for business events and knowledge exchange.

Under the initiative, selected professionals will serve as Conference Ambassadors, using their industry expertise and professional networks to identify potential international events and build support for bringing them to Mumbai. JWCC will provide end-to-end assistance throughout the bidding process, including bid preparation, international relationship-building, marketing support and coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Support from Maharashtra Convention Bureau and ICCA

The programme is supported by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau, India's first state-led convention bureau, while ICCA will participate as the Knowledge Partner. ICCA will provide international meetings-industry expertise and association networks to support ambassadors during the bidding process.

The initiative comes as India's international business-events sector continues to expand. According to the 2026 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study by the Events Industry Council and Oxford Economics, business events in 2025 brought together around 1.65 billion participants across more than 180 countries and generated approximately US$1.3 trillion in direct spending globally.

The study also estimated that business events supported US$3.1 trillion in total business sales, US$1.8 trillion in GDP and 24.2 million jobs worldwide when indirect and induced impacts were included.

Mumbai strengthens international conference portfolio

Since opening in 2022, Jio World Convention Centre has hosted several major international conferences and congresses covering sectors such as finance, education, technology, agriculture, architecture and sustainability.

Its portfolio includes the World Congress of Accountants, International Baccalaureate Global Conference, ICANN Community Forum, Asian Seed Congress, International Federation of Landscape Architects Asia-Pacific Regional Congress, World Green Building Council Congress, WordCamp Asia, Global Fintech Fest, International Olympic Committee Session and KubeCon + CloudNativeCon India.

JWCC has also secured a pipeline of international events for Mumbai, including the International Congress on Occupational Health 2027, FDI World Dental Congress 2027, IDF World Dairy Summit 2027, URO Asia Congress 2028, World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Congress 2029, World Congress of Anaesthesiologists 2030 and the 50th SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress 2030.

Financial and professional support for ambassadors

Conference Ambassadors will work on a voluntary basis and will be responsible for identifying potential international association events, mobilising local industry support, contributing expertise to bid documents and presenting Mumbai's proposals to international decision-making bodies.

To support them, JWCC will provide a dedicated bidding team and a Conference Ambassador Grant. The grant will offer financial assistance for eligible expenses related to bid preparation, international travel, site inspections and other qualifying activities.

Selected ambassadors will also receive access to bid materials, site inspection support, publicity assistance, government relations, networking opportunities, peer-learning initiatives and expert pitch coaching.

Focus on strengthening India's global position

The programme is open to active association members and industry professionals based in India. Applications will be assessed on the applicant's ability to lead an international conference bid, engage local and global stakeholders and contribute to successfully securing an event for Mumbai.

Maharashtra Tourism officials said the initiative could further strengthen the state's position in the international business-events market. India's position in ICCA rankings has improved from 37th in 2022 to 26th in 2025, reflecting the country's growing potential as a destination for global conferences and congresses.

The Conference Ambassador Programme aims to use India's professional expertise, international networks and Mumbai's convention infrastructure to attract more global events. Organisers said the initiative is expected to create opportunities for knowledge exchange, professional collaboration, innovation and wider economic activity across Maharashtra and India.