Kerala Travel Mart Hosts India’s First Wedding and MICE Conclave
By Gurjit Singh Ahuja
The Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society, in collaboration with the State Tourism Department, hosted India’s first dedicated Wedding and MICE Conclave in Kochi from August 14 to 16, 2025. The event convened industry stakeholders from India and abroad to explore the new opportunities that Kerala offers in the wedding and MICE tourism segments.
Kerala’s Focus on Weddings and MICE Tourism
Known for its enchanting backwaters, grand festivals, mesmerising coastline, and wellness tourism, God’s Own Country, Kerala, is now sharpening its focus on the fast-emerging weddings and MICE opportunities.
Dignitaries Highlight Kerala’s Wedding and MICE Potential
The KTM Wedding and MICE Conclave was inaugurated by Kerala’s Tourism and Public Works Minister, P A Mohamed Riyas, at the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. He said, “Our state offers an unmatched combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, world-class infrastructure, and highly skilled professionals. Here, dreams are not just celebrated; they truly come alive.” The ceremony was chaired by the Minister for Industries, Coir and Law, P Rajeev.
Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director-General, Department of Tourism, urged Kerala to consider setting up a MICE promotion bureau similar to those in East Asian countries. Highlighting the sector’s potential, he noted that while the global wedding and MICE market is worth $1 trillion, India currently contributes only 1.8 per cent. “As a country with strong growth, this share is set to rise,” he added, calling on Kerala to create a tourism ecosystem to capitalise on this opportunity.
State Tourism Secretary Biju K presented the immense possibilities of Kerala as a world-class wedding and MICE destination, while Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran observed that decades of collaboration between the government and the tourism industry have enabled the sector to explore new avenues.
Welcoming delegates, KTM Society President Jose Pradeep said the summit brings all stakeholders in the wedding and MICE sector under one umbrella, fostering mutual benefits. “This will pave the way for Kerala Tourism to assert its dominance in a new sector,” he added. KTM Secretary, S Swaminathan, described the Wedding and MICE Summit as the best example of public-private collaboration in tourism.
Other dignitaries present included Kochi Mayor M Anil Kumar, Kerala Tourism Additional Director-General Sreedhanya Suresh, and former KTM Presidents Jose Dominic, E M Najeeb, Riyaz Ahmed, Abraham George, and Baby Mathew Somatheeram.
Kerala Leads in Star Hotels and Hospitality
Tourism Minister Riyas highlighted Kerala’s distinction as the top state in the country for star hotels and resorts. He further added that every celebration or corporate gathering in the state was backed by world-class hospitality and comfort.
Kerala has 94 five-star, 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 significant change in Kerala’s transport system and tourism.
Global Participation and Trade Connect
Proceeding further, Le Meridien in suburban Kundannur was the venue for the two days of proceedings, featuring an exhibition and facilitating one-on-one trade meetings. Almost 700 buyers from within and outside the country participated in the event. 70 international buyers from 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 attended the event. The sellers set up 75 stalls, and a total of 6,623 business meetings were conducted.
Panel Insights on Kerala’s MICE Potential
Panel discussions were organised on the sidelines. Tanuja Pandey, Founder & Director, MICE Online, was the moderator for the first session. Speaking at the session on the Scope of MICE in Kerala, Venkatesan D, Regional Director, South India, Ministry of Tourism, stated that Kerala had a huge advantage in the MICE sector and called for infrastructure diversification and capacity building to buttress it further.
Noting that Kerala has unique facets in the MICE sector, Mukesh Makhijiani, Founder & Director, Stimulus Hospitality, said the state does not need to imitate other destinations; instead, it can rebrand itself as a destination with a business purpose alongside nature. He said, “Build themes and structures that can be propagated to agencies so that there can be a baseline understanding of what can be done. The problem lies in gathering and curating knowledge. Agencies should be given a proper and quality structure regarding MICE to work on.”
Sagar Pingali, Executive Vice President, Event Management Association, noted that Kerala ’ss natural beauty can be leveraged through boat races, wellness, and art and culture to create unique experiences. Pingali added, “Kerala has robust event companies, but the state has to constantly build on promoting its under-marketed destinations in the MICE sector.”
Mufaddal Dahodwala, Founder, Incentives Conferences and Events, suggested that instead of focusing on metros alone, other destinations like Kochi, Kumarakom, and Kovalam, besides national wildlife parks, are well-suited.
Reimagining Destination Weddings in Kerala
The topic for the second panel discussion was “Sacred Vows & Scenic Views: Reimagining Destination Weddings in Kerala.”
Speaking as a panellist, Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism, said what made Kerala different from other destinations was the unique experience it provided in the amazing backdrop of inclusiveness and a sustainable model for the visitors. She also highlighted the progressive mindset of people as a positive factor that has transformed the state into a preferred wedding destination. She noted, “Kerala is the leader in sustainable tourism, and we need to carry along the local community with this.”
Rajeev Jain, Founder and Director, Rashi Entertainment, believes that Kerala can capitalise on the benefits of the vast wedding industry by focusing on enhancing its infrastructure, including hotel rooms and branding. The state should adopt technology for conducting big weddings and social events, he suggested.
Noting that entertainment is a vital factor in modern weddings, Sumit Khetan, Artistic Director, Sumit Khetan Entertainment, said a cross-cultural exchange is happening in this sector regarding the adaptation of rituals and customs irrespective of regions.
Pramod Lunawat, Founder, Millennium Events, said Kerala has riveting spots for destination weddings, and the state has hardly any need to imitate others. “We have to focus on what we have. Kerala can tap into the huge market of intimacy and weddings,” he opined.
Sikha Surendaran urged the KTM Society to come out with a detailed report featuring the deliberations from the conclave and a focused roadmap to carry forward the momentum set by the meet. She said, “The government will certainly act upon the key takeaways from this event,” striking an optimistic note on the impact of the conclave that hosted a flurry of buyer-seller meets, besides two seminars featuring international experts.
Overall, the conclave has been a resounding success by laying a firm foundation for Kerala in its future growth and leadership in the wedding and MICE segment.