Odisha Launches First MICE Incentive Portal

Odisha launched India’s first dedicated digital portal for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) incentives on 4 October 2026. The portal was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida at the Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026.

MICE Tourism

MICE tourism refers to organised group travel for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. It is a segment of business tourism and includes corporate conventions, incentive trips, trade exhibitions, and professional networking events.

Portal Features

The portal is designed to promote Odisha as a destination for corporate conventions. It also provides a digital mechanism for event organisers and tourism operators to apply for financial incentives.

• Odisha became the first state in India to create a dedicated digital mechanism for MICE incentives.
• The portal is linked to efforts to expedite approvals for MICE events, destination weddings, sports events, and cultural heritage-related ventures.
• The government has proposed targeted capital subsidies for eligible tourism projects.
• The private sector can submit recommendations to address administrative bottlenecks in tourism approvals.

Policy Framework and Tourism Hub

The incentive structure has been introduced under the Odisha Tourism (Amendment) Policy, 2026. The policy seeks to develop the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip region as a MICE tourism hub.

Bhubaneswar is known as the temple city and has historic monuments and cultural heritage sites. The state has also linked MICE tourism with destination weddings, experiential tourism, local cuisine tours, and cultural events.

Important Facts for Exams

• MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.
• MICE tourism is a recognised branch of business tourism.
• Odisha is the first state in India to launch a dedicated MICE incentive portal.
• The Odisha Travel Bazaar is a tourism industry event held in the state.

The Odisha Tourism (Amendment) Policy, 2026 provides the policy basis for the incentive portal. The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip region has been identified for MICE tourism development.