Paperman Media | Bhubaneswar
The Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, in collaboration with FICCI, organised a high-level roundtable on strengthening the state’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) ecosystem at Mayfair Sanctuary on Sunday as part of Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026.
Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Pravati Parida inaugurated the Odisha MICE Incentive Portal, described as India’s first dedicated digital platform to promote Odisha as a destination for corporate conventions and facilitate applications for financial incentives by event organisers, investors and tourism operators.
Addressing industry representatives, Smt. Parida said transparent policies and faster approvals would strengthen private-sector participation in tourism. She highlighted opportunities in destination weddings, sports events, cultural heritage projects and experiential travel, assuring investors of administrative support, removal of bottlenecks and targeted capital subsidies.
Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shri Balwant Singh presented the Odisha Tourism Investment Policy and outlined opportunities in heritage, sports and business events.
Shri Sabbas Joseph, Co-Founder of Wizcraft Group and Chair of the FICCI MICE Tourism Committee, stressed the importance of integrating Odisha’s cultural traditions, crafts and cuisine into modern conferences and hospitality programmes.
Celebrity Chef and Odisha’s Official Brand Ambassador for Odia Cuisine, Shri Ranveer Brar, emphasised cultural authenticity and called for a 100-day mapping exercise covering local storytellers, recipes, cooks, markets and festivals.
The roundtable also discussed infrastructure, professional services and operational guidelines to attract national and international conventions and incentive tours. Director of Tourism Shri Deepankar Mohapatra welcomed participants, while FICCI Tourism Committee Co-Chairperson and Swosti Group CMD Shri JK Mohanty delivered the concluding remarks.
