Jio World Convention Centre launches Conference Ambassador Programme to bring global conferences to Mumbai

The Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) has announced the launch of its Conference Ambassador Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at partnering with India's association leaders and industry experts to attract global conferences, congresses and business events to Mumbai.

Supported by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau (MCB), with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as Knowledge Partner, the programme brings together a coordinated support network to identify and equip industry leaders to serve as Conference Ambassadors. While Ambassadors will contribute their professional standing, subject-matter expertise and association networks, JWCC will provide end-to-end support across the bidding process, relationship-building activities and marketing initiatives to position Mumbai on the global stage.

International conferences and congresses are among the world's leading platforms for advancing research, collaboration, and professional exchange. Beyond their economic contribution, these events bring together experts, researchers, policymakers and decision-makers to exchange ideas and shape the future of their respective disciplines.

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 $1.3 trillion in direct spending. Including indirect and induced impacts, the industry supported $3.1 trillion in total business sales, $1.8 trillion in total GDP and 24.2 million jobs worldwide.

The findings underscore the growing role of business events in economic growth, workforce development and global competitiveness. For India, they also highlight an opportunity to connect professionals and institutions with global expertise, strengthen global networks and showcase Indian leadership while generating wider economic value.

The Conference Ambassador Programme builds on the growing momentum behind Maharashtra's business events ecosystem, led by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau, India's first state-led convention bureau, which was announced at IMEX Frankfurt 2025 in Germany to attract and facilitate global events.

ICCA, a global association representing the international meetings industry, joins the initiative as Knowledge Partner, bringing its industry expertise and international association network to support Conference Ambassadors throughout the bidding process.

Since opening in 2022, JWCC has developed a strong track record of hosting major international conferences and congresses in Mumbai. Its portfolio includes 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. The events have spanned professional communities across finance, education, technology, agriculture, architecture and sustainability.

Building on this track record, JWCC has also secured a strong pipeline of future international congresses for Mumbai, including the International Congress on Occupational Health 2027, FDI World Dental Congress 2027, IDF World Dairy Summit 2027, URO Asia – Urological Association of Asia Congress 2028, World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology Congress 2029, World Congress of Anaesthesiologists 2030, and the 50th SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress 2030.

These wins demonstrate the potential to combine India's professional expertise and international association networks with a coordinated destination-bidding strategy.

Under the programme, Conference Ambassadors will serve on a voluntary basis. Their responsibilities will include identifying prospective international association events, mobilising local industry support, contributing subject-matter expertise to bid documents and representing proposals before international decision-making bodies.

Ambassadors will be supported by JWCC's dedicated bidding team and the Conference Ambassador Grant, which provides financial assistance towards eligible bidding expenses, including bid preparation, international travel, site inspections and other qualifying activities.

Expressing Maharashtra Tourism's support for the initiative, Sanjay Khandare, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, said, “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."

Open to active association members and industry professionals based in India, the Conference Ambassador Programme will assess applications on merit. Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to serve as the primary bid champion for an international conference, influence local and international stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to a successful bid.

Selected Ambassadors will receive access to a comprehensive suite of support, including bid assets, strategic guidance, site inspection assistance, publicity, government relations, networking platforms, peer-learning initiatives and expert pitch coaching.

The Conference Ambassador Programme represents a long-term commitment to enabling India's association community to play a greater role in securing leading global conferences for the country. By bringing together professional expertise, strategic partnerships and world-class infrastructure, the initiative aims to create enduring value for industries and institutions across Maharashtra and India.