What Drives Success in the MICE Industry? Leading Players and Their Strategies in 2024–2025

The global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, And Exhibitions (MICE) Industry is booming, with global market size predicted to garner USD 1.78 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 6.1%. But what strategies are the leading players using to capture this growth? This blog dives into the key companies shaping the MICE sector and the innovative approaches driving their success.

Why Is the MICE Industry Thriving?

MICE industry is booming due to market dynamics such as world-wide growth of the corporate sector, augmentation in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) activities, proliferating Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, as well as increasing trend towards the adoption of AI & IoT at global level. Besides, consistent increase in the global tourism is expected to drive the growth of the industry in future.

Key Market Drivers:

• Tourism: Everyone benefits from MICE events, and not only host destinations, corporate travel agents, and event planners and organizers. By facilitating networking, knowledge exchange, and industry development, the MICE industry serves as a global meeting point that fosters creativity and innovation. MICE also represents a profitable opportunity for travel agents and online travel agencies (OTAs). MICE events have outpaced leisure tourism in 2024, growing at 19% compared to 11%.

• Sustainability Focus: Sustainable corporate events are becoming the gold standard in business travel and event planning. Businesses prioritize eco-friendly MICE solutions - Companies with strong sustainability initiatives attract eco-conscious attendees and investors. As businesses increasingly align with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, sustainable MICE trends are shaping the way corporate events are designed and delivered. Attendees increasingly prefer businesses that reflect ethical values in their event planning.

• Technology Adoption: Use of AI and virtual platforms for event management. AI can help streamline scheduling by analysing your event’s agenda, speakers, topics, and timing to identify potential conflicts or gaps. It can detect overlapping sessions, ensure even topic distribution, and suggest adjustments for a smoother flow. Additionally, AI can recommend better session placements based on audience interest, speaker availability, and content relevance, helping to avoid redundancies and optimise engagement.

Who Are the Leading Players in the MICE Industry?

The MICE industry features a mix of global event management firms, hospitality giants, and specialized agencies:

Leading players like BCD Group, Cvent, Informa, Mach Conferences, and Marriott International, among others, dominate through specialized services, global reach, and technology integration.

What Strategies Are Driving Their Success?

Each company employs distinct strategies to capture market share and address industry trends. Below, we analyze their approaches based on 2024–2025 data.

1. How Does BCD Group Leverage Global Reach?

BCD Group, a leader in corporate travel and event management, focuses on integrated solutions for meetings and incentives. Following recent years of growth, BCD kicked off their three-year strategic plan, Thinking Forward, guided by the goals of engagement, creativity and growth. EMPOWER is a key investment aligned with the plan’s year-one objective to strengthen foundations. BCD M&E’s stability has created a flexible environment to meet client needs, and its focus on foundation has allowed for creative service improvements.

2. Why Is Cvent Betting on Technology?

In 2024, Cvent unveiled a host of new artificial intelligence-enabled enhancements at its annual industry and customer conference, Cvent CONNECT. The product announcements build on the Company’s current suite of AI-powered solutions and underscore the tech provider’s commitment to leveraging the power of AI across its Event Management and Marketing platform. 

Enhanced Planner Efficiency & Personalization with Cvent AI

• Smarter Content Creation: Cvent’s upgraded AI Writing Assistant now delivers context-aware, conversational content support—no setup required.

• Attendee Chatbots: Self-serve bots answer event questions on websites and onsite, boosting conversions and support.

• Predictive Registration: AI-powered forecasting improves accuracy in attendance estimates and budget planning.

• Quick Event Intelligence: Conversational AI provides fast session insights and executive summaries for stakeholder reporting.

• Personalized Experiences: Global Profiles and AI-generated session/event summaries enable highly tailored attendee engagement and follow-up.

• Effortless Venue Search & RFPs: Natural language venue search and AI-optimized RFP tools simplify sourcing and speed up hotel responses.

3. How Does Informa PLC Dominate Exhibitions?

Tahaluf, the strategic joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund (EIF), announced the single biggest events expansion program in Saudi history with plans to launch 20 new sectors-specific trade and consumer events. The massive expansion will see Tahaluf debut iconic Informa brands in Saudi Arabia, including CPHI and Cosmoprof, to serve the global pharmaceutical and beauty industries, enhance existing flagship brands, such as the real estate-focused Cityscape Global, and launch new titles and concepts aligned with the strategic objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

4. What Makes Mach Conferences Stand Out?

Mach Conferences & Events Limited, a leader in India’s MICE sector, has secured seven high-value event orders worth nearly ₹40 crores from top BFSI, Cement, and Auto companies over the past 15 days. These events, involving 6,104 participants, are slated for execution in H1 F.Y. 2025-26.

Event Highlights:

• Bali (2 events): Two luxury experiences for ~1,250 participants.

• Goa: Iconic incentive event for 1,400+ attendees.

• Cordelia Cruise: Two-night charter for 1,500 guests.

• Almaty: Scenic corporate gathering for 600+.

• Aamby Valley: Premium domestic event for 1,250 participants.

• Masai Mara: Boutique adventure for 40 high-profile guests.

These wins reaffirm Mach’s position as a go-to partner for delivering large-scale, world-class events.

5. How Does Marriott Capitalize on Venues?

The Q2 2024 results from Marriott International briefly mention continued strength in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) segment, particularly in international markets. The company highlights solid group demand and strong growth in business-related travel, including MICE, as a contributor to higher occupancy and RevPAR gains:

• Net income rose to $772 million, up from $726 million;

• Total revenue reached around $6.43 billion, a 6% year‑over‑year increase, though slightly below analyst expectations (~$6.5 billion);

• Worldwide RevPAR increased 4.9% (constant dollars), driven by a 2.6% rise in ADR and 1.6% occupancy gain. International RevPAR rose 7.4%, with Asia-Pacific ex‑China up 13%;

• The company added approximately 15,500 net rooms during the quarter; its development pipeline included ~3,509 properties (>559,000 rooms) with over 209,000 rooms under construction.

What Role Does Technology Play in Their Strategies?

Technology is a cornerstone of MICE success. As it simplifies registration, enhances networking, and enhances the onsite experience, it’s changing the way organizers plan and manage events. Every aspect of this transformation helps to improve the quality of operations and enhance the user experience:

• Registration & Ticketing Platforms: Centralized systems that enable seamless online sign ups, custom forms, CRM integration, payment tracking, and automated confirmations.

• Mobile Event Apps: Real time digital agendas, notifications, speaker bios, venue maps, live polls, Q&A, and feedback tools—all in attendees' pockets.

• Self Check In Kiosks: QR code scanned automatic stations to reduce queues and speed up entry at scale.

• Onsite Badge Printing: Instant branded badge issuance integrated with RFID or NFC for access control and attendee tracking.

• Facial Recognition: Streamlined access using biometric entry for registered participants without manual checks.

• AI Powered Networking Tools: Smart matchmaking algorithms connecting attendees and exhibitors based on profiles and interests. 

• Augmented Reality (AR): Interactive booth experiences, 3D demos, and AR-based wayfinding for immersive attendee engagement. 

• Virtual Event Platforms: Fully virtual or hybrid setups including live sessions, networking lounges, virtual booths, audience polling, and analytics.

What Are the Next Steps for MICE Industry Stakeholders?

To thrive in the MICE industry, stakeholders must align with market trends and leading strategies. Here are actionable takeaways:

• Invest in Technology: Adopt AI and virtual platforms to enhance event planning and attendee engagement.

• Focus on Sustainability: Incorporate eco-friendly practices to align with CSR trends.

• Specialize in Niches: Develop expertise in high-value segments like incentives or exhibitions.

• Enhance Infrastructure: Partner with governments or invest in venues to support large-scale events.

Stakeholders should prioritize technology, sustainability, and strategic market expansion to succeed in the evolving MICE landscape.

Final Thoughts

The MICE industry’s growth trajectory offers immense opportunities for leading players like BCD Group, Cvent, Informa, Mach Conferences, and Marriott. Their strategies—ranging from global expansion to technology adoption—set a blueprint for success. By leveraging these insights and actionable steps, stakeholders can navigate this dynamic market and drive impactful outcomes.

Sneha Chakraborty is a seasoned SEO Executive and Content Writer with over 4 years of experience in the digital marketing space, bringing a strong command of online visibility strategies and a keen insight into the evolving digital landscape. She specializes in enhancing online visibility and user engagement through data-driven strategies and creative content solutions. Sneha is passionate about translating complex digital concepts into accessible content for a wide audience. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, sketching, and exploring the outdoors through nature photography. The author can be reached at [email protected].