Union Budget 2026–27 – Foundation for a Scalable MICE Economy

The Union Budget 2026–27 presented on 1^st Feb reflects a maturing policy approach towards India’s Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. Rather than viewing exhibitions as episodic activities, the Budget focuses on building the institutional, operational and human frameworks required for long-term, repeatable growth.

For integrated MICE platforms the policy direction aligns with destination-led exhibitions, professionalised service delivery and geographic expansion beyond metro markets.

The establishment of city-level MICE bureaus addresses one of the industry’s most persistent challenges—fragmented local coordination. By creating a single-window interface for organisers and global partners, these bureaus improve predictability, reduce execution friction and enhance India’s ability to host large-format international exhibitions on a sustained basis.

This institutional push is reinforced by parallel investments in talent development, hospitality skilling, MSME enablement and regional connectivity, creating a layered ecosystem rather than isolated interventions.

Highlights

 A Long-Term Blueprint for India’s MICE Sector

• Destination & Institutional Readiness
• City-level MICE & Convention Promotion Bureaus (from 2026)
• Single-window facilitation for exhibitions and conventions
• Verified local ecosystems for international organisers
• Improved destination-level coordination
• Expanding the Venue & Experience Landscape
• 15 heritage and archaeological sites to be developed as experiential destinations
• Enables curated, high-value event formats
• Supports destination-based exhibitions and cultural conventions
• Building the Next-Gen MICE Workforce
• 15,000 AVGC & content labs in schools
• 500 labs in colleges
• Strong pipeline for exhibition design, AV, hybrid and experiential formats
• Service Quality & Hospitality Integration
• National Institute of Hospitality
• Industry–academia collaboration
• Improved service standards across emerging MICE cities
• Strengthening Organisers & the Supply Chain
• ₹45 lakh support cap for organising domestic exhibitions
• ₹15 lakh support for MSME participation
• 100% reimbursement (space + airfare) for select MSMEs at global trade fairs
• ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund supporting high-performing enterprises
• Regional Expansion & Market Depth
• UDAN connectivity to 120 new destinations
• Facilitates exhibitions in Tier-2 & Tier-3 cities
• Encourages decentralised MICE growth
• Operational Ease & Financial Flow
• TCS on overseas tour packages reduced to 2% resulting in more international-outbound delegation to exhibitions.
• “Corporate Mitras” simplify compliance, especially in smaller cities
• Structural Outcome
• Shift from event-based growth to platform-led expansion
• Improved visibility of exhibition pipelines
• Policy-backed momentum for organised MICE operators

Trade Fair Times Perspective

Budget 2026–27 assembles the MICE value chain in sequence—institutions, infrastructure, talent, access and compliance—creating conditions for sustained and scalable growth.