MUMBAI: Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) on Thursday announced the launch of its Conference Ambassador Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at partnering with Indian association leaders and industry experts to attract major international conferences, congresses and business events to Mumbai.
The programme is supported by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau (MCB), with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as Knowledge Partner.
Under the initiative, selected association leaders and industry professionals will serve as Conference Ambassadors and use their professional standing and international networks to identify suitable global events for Mumbai.
JWCC will support the ambassadors through the entire bidding process, including relationship-building, bid preparation, marketing and representation of Mumbai before international decision-making bodies.
The programme is aimed at strengthening Mumbai’s position as a global business-events destination and creating a coordinated ecosystem for securing international conferences.
Global Business Events Industry Worth Trillions
JWCC said international conferences and congresses play a major role in research, professional collaboration, knowledge exchange and economic growth.
Citing the Events Industry Council’s 2026 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study conducted with Oxford Economics, JWCC said business events in 2025 brought together around 1.65 billion participants across more than 180 countries and generated US$1.3 trillion in direct spending.
Including indirect and induced impacts, the industry supported around US$3.1 trillion in total business sales, US$1.8 trillion in GDP and 24.2 million jobs worldwide.
The programme seeks to use these opportunities to connect Indian professionals and institutions with global expertise while strengthening international networks and showcasing Indian leadership.
Builds on Maharashtra Convention Bureau Push
The Conference Ambassador Programme builds on the momentum created by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau, described as India’s first state-led convention bureau, which was announced at IMEX Frankfurt 2025 in Germany.
ICCA will support the programme by bringing its international meetings-industry expertise and association network to the bidding process.
Since opening in 2022, JWCC has hosted a range of major international events, including the World Congress of Accountants, International Baccalaureate Global Conference, ICANN Community Forum, Asian Seed Congress, World Green Building Council Congress, WordCamp Asia, Global Fintech Fest, International Olympic Committee Session and KubeCon + CloudNativeCon India.
The venue has also secured a future pipeline of global congresses for Mumbai, including the International Congress on Occupational Health 2027, FDI World Dental Congress 2027, IDF World Dairy Summit 2027, URO Asia 2028, World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Congress 2029, World Congress of Anaesthesiologists 2030 and the 50th SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress 2030.
Ambassadors to Serve on Voluntary Basis
Conference Ambassadors will serve voluntarily and help identify prospective international association events, mobilise local industry support, contribute subject expertise to bid documents and represent proposals before international bodies.
JWCC’s dedicated bidding team will support them throughout the process.
Selected ambassadors will also be eligible for a Conference Ambassador Grant, which will provide financial assistance for qualifying bidding expenses such as bid preparation, international travel and site inspections.
Additional support will include bid assets, guidance, publicity, government relations, networking opportunities, peer-learning initiatives and expert pitch coaching.
Maharashtra Govt Backs Initiative
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, Sanjay Khandare, said the initiative would help advance Maharashtra’s position in the global business-events landscape.
He said India’s progress in ICCA rankings, from 37th position in 2022 to 26th in 2025, reflected the country’s growing potential as a destination for international conferences and congresses.
Khandare said winning such events was not only about bringing delegates to Indian cities but also about enabling knowledge exchange, professional collaboration, innovation and wider economic benefits.
The programme, he said, would enable leading Indian association members and industry professionals to champion international conference bids with coordinated support from MCB, JWCC and ICCA.
Applications Open to Professionals Across India
The Conference Ambassador Programme is open to active association members and industry professionals based in India.
Applications will be assessed on merit, including the applicant’s ability to act as the primary bid champion for an international conference, influence local and international stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to a successful bid.
JWCC said the programme represents a long-term effort to give India’s professional and association community a greater role in securing leading global conferences.
By combining professional expertise, strategic partnerships and world-class infrastructure, the initiative aims to create lasting value for industries, institutions and the wider economy of Maharashtra and India.
