MICE in East India

Kolkata's existing five star facilities for conferences and meetings at the Taj Bengal, Oberoi Grand, Hindustan International, Peerless Inn, Great Eastern and the Park Hotel will be complemented by the upcoming Kolkata Convention Centre to be built by the Jakarta based Salim and Ciputra group. Located over 100 acres in the eastern suburbs, JW Marriott will set up a five star and a four star hotel adding 1000 rooms to the complex. A cultural and retail zone, serviced apartments and office towers will be integral to the project. The convention centre will have facilities for 2000 participants. Kolkata's star attraction, the Floatel on the Jetty has a theatre style arrangement for 90 guests, and open air banquet facilities for up to 500. The Vedic Village in Rajarhat is a venue with a difference, and corporates have found its spacious and tranquil environs perfect for MICE.

Bhubaneswar is evolving into a good MICE destination, offering a serene business environment and a host of tourist attractions. Swosti Plaza's convention centre has an impressive seating capacity of 1500.The Kalinga Ashok Hotel, Trident Hilton, Hotel Oberoi, Mayfair Lagoon, Hotel Keshari, The Marion, Royal Midtown, Hotel Sishmo and the Quality Inn Crown offer superior conference and meeting facilities at satisfactory rates.

Bhubaneswar's neighbour, Puri, with its lovely beaches and the world famous Jagannath Temple offers quality conference facilities at the Mayfair Beach Resort, Coco Palms and the Country Inn. Toshali Sands Resort on the road to Konark offers four star facilities, and its ethnic décor and excellent facilities for conventions finds favour with the professional community.

The Gateway to the North East, Guwahati, is another emerging MICE destination. The region's still untapped tourist attractions are a big draw with event managers, and the city's growing hospitality industry is well equipped to handle sophisticated conferences and events. The Landmark Hotel, Orchid Hotel, Hotel Rajmahal, Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok, Hotel Belle Vue and Hotel Dynasty are some of the business-cum-leisure hotels in Guwahati. The Brahmaputra Ashok will be adding a convention centre facility for 1000 guests as part of its expansion plans. The Radisson will be operating Guwahati's first five star hotel with a 200 room capacity and state-of-the-art convention facilities for 500 people.

For small to mid size conventions, lovely Shillong has much to offer. A meeting or conference here would give delegates an opportunity to discover the marvelous countryside, the unique flora, the limestone caves and adventure sports at the idyllic Umiam Lake. Hotel Polo Tower is a four star 50 room hotel with conference and boardroom facilities. Hotel Pinewood Ashok, Hotel Pegasus Crown, Hotel Alpine International and the Ri Kynjai can also be checked out for MICE events.

The Chalsa Resort on the Guwahati-Siliguri road has been used for a reasonable number of incentive tours and conventions by major corporates over the last few years. The resort can be bundled with a trip to Darjeeling and other tourist spots in the Himalayan ranges.

Sikkim's growing popularity as a tourist destination can be considered in selecting Gangtok as a MICE destination. Its unaffected and beautiful landscapes offer scope for a variety of adventure sports. Four star business facilities can be availed of at the Nor Khill and Tashi Delek hotels.