Mumbai Turns India’s Association Leaders into Global Conference Ambassadors

The Maharashtra Convention Bureau, Jio World Convention Centre and ICCA have joined forces to give India’s association leaders a more active role in winning international conferences for Mumbai.

The new Conference Ambassador Programme aims to turn professional expertise and international association networks into a coordinated bidding force, inviting India-based association leaders and industry specialists to champion international congresses and business events for the city.

The initiative is supported by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau (MCB), with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) acting as Knowledge Partner. Under the model, Conference Ambassadors will identify potential events and bring their professional standing, subject expertise and networks to the bid, while Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) provides the infrastructure and specialist support to take each proposal forward.

That support extends across the bidding process, from bid preparation and relationship-building to marketing, government relations, site inspections and international presentations. Selected Ambassadors will also have access to a Conference Ambassador Grant covering eligible expenses such as international travel, bid preparation and site inspections.

The programme arrives as India strengthens its position in the international association meetings market. According to the Events Industry Council’s 2026 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study, conducted with Oxford Economics, business events in 2025 brought together 1.65 billion participants across more than 180 countries and generated US$1.3 trillion in direct spending.

For Maharashtra, the ambition is to translate that global significance into a more systematic approach to attracting international congresses.

“The Conference Ambassador Programme represents an important step in advancing Maharashtra's position in the global business events landscape. India’s steady progress in the ICCA rankings – from 37th in 2022 to 26th in 2025 – reflects the country’s growing potential as a destination for international conferences and congresses. Winning these events is about much more than bringing delegates to our cities; they create platforms for knowledge exchange, professional collaboration and innovation, while generating wider economic value across sectors. By enabling India’s leading association members and industry professionals to champion international conference bids, with the combined support of MCB, JWCC and ICCA through the process, the programme aims to bring many more global gatherings to Mumbai and create lasting value for Maharashtra,” says Sanjay Khandare, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Government of Maharashtra

The programme builds on the development of Maharashtra’s business events infrastructure and institutional support. MCB, announced at IMEX Frankfurt 2025, is India’s first state-led convention bureau, established to attract and facilitate global events to the state.
 

JWCC, meanwhile, has developed a substantial international congress portfolio since opening in 2022. Its events have included 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.

That pipeline is now extending well into the future, with Mumbai set to host the International Congress on Occupational Health in 2027, FDI World Dental Congress in 2027, IDF World Dairy Summit in 2027, URO Asia – Urological Association of Asia Congress in 2028, World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Congress in 2029, World Congress of Anaesthesiologists in 2030 and the 50th SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress in 2030.

The new programme seeks to build on that momentum by making the local professional community an integral part of the bidding proposition. Ambassadors will serve on a voluntary basis, identifying prospective association events, mobilising local support, contributing specialist knowledge to bid documents and representing Mumbai before international decision-making bodies.

For ICCA, the partnership adds an international industry perspective to that process, while JWCC’s dedicated bidding team provides the practical support required to turn an expression of interest into a competitive bid.

Applications are open to active association members and industry professionals based in India. Candidates will be assessed on their ability to act as the primary champion for an international conference, influence local and international stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to a successful bid.

Those selected will receive bid assets and expert guidance alongside support for site inspections, publicity, government relations, networking and peer learning, as well as pitch coaching.

At its core, the programme represents a shift from destination bidding as a venue-led exercise towards a model built around the people and professional communities capable of bringing international associations to the table. For Mumbai, the objective is not simply to add more conferences to an already strong calendar, but to deepen the connection between India’s expertise, its global association networks and the city’s capacity to host the world’s leading meetings.

Strategically positioned at the crossroads of commerce and culture in Mumbai's thriving Bandra Kurla Complex, Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) is one of India's largest and most technologically advanced venues for business and cultural events. A part of the Jio World Centre precinct, JWCC is a LEED-certified, first-of-its-kind facility envisioned by Mrs. Nita Mukesh Ambani, Director of Reliance Industries and Founder & Chairperson of Reliance Foundation. Offering transformative spaces with cutting-edge technology, virtual and hybrid event capabilities, exceptional safety standards, world-class cuisine, and a dedicated team, JWCC ensures you have everything you need to host outstanding events.
 

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