 "MICE centre in Jodhpur likely to give tourism a boost in Rajasthan")
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved an initial amount of approximately Rs 25 crore for setting up a MICE (Meeting Incentive Conference and Exhibition) centre in Jodhpur, which is becoming popular for hosting national and international events.
A tourism department official said the MICE centre would be built on 5,650 square metres on the premises of the Women Polytechnic College, for which the Jodhpur Development Authority has allotted 65,000 sq mt.
During the first phase, facilities such as an exhibition hall, registration and information centre, administration block, VIP lounge, meeting space for trade and business, and a parking area will be constructed, the official added.
MICE tourism, rapidly expanding in Rajasthan, offers numerous opportunities in the tourism industry.
In his 2023–24 Budget, Gehlot announced the development of MICE centres for international-level conventions and exhibitions in the popular tourism hotspots of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Ajmer. Each of these centres will cost approximately Rs 100 crore.
To boost tourism, the budget of the Tourism Development Fund was increased from around Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore this year. "Rajasthan is becoming one of the primary choices for MICE tourism operators," the official said.
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In April, the state hosted the 12th Great Indian Travel Bazaar, in which 283 tour operators from 56 different nations participated. A similar event, the Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM), was held this month, with participation from 200 sellers and an equal number of buyers. These events indicate that Rajasthan is well-prepared to become a leader in the MICE tourism sector as well.
Rajasthan possesses all the ingredients for a flourishing tourism sector, including well-known tourist attractions, historical sites, distinctive heritage villages and Shilpgrams, experiential tourism, desert tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife and ecotourism, tribal tourism, cultural tourism, craft and cuisine tourism, weekend getaway tourism, religious tourism, wedding tourism, wellness tourism (medical tourism), rural tourism, and film tourism, among others.