A new Conference Ambassador Programme is being launched by Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and supported by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau, with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) as a knowledge partner.
The programme aims to establish a unified support network to equip leaders across industries and the founders describe the move as a first-of-its-kind initiative. They invite India’s leading minds to champion international conference bids, strengthening Mumbai’s position as a global hub for business events and knowledge exchange.
JWCC will manage the end-to-end bidding process, supporting relationship-building activities, and facilitating marketing initiatives to represent Mumbai on the global stage.
The new programme builds on the growing momentum around Maharashtra’s business events ecosystem, led by the Maharashtra Convention Bureau – India’s first state-led convention bureau to attract and facilitate global events.
Since opening in 2022, JWCC has hosted major international conferences and congresses. 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, spanning professional communities across finance, education, technology, agriculture, architecture and sustainability.
The 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 major wins, the stakeholders say, demonstrate the opportunities when combining India’s professional expertise and international association networks with a coordinated destination bidding strategy.
The Conference Ambassadors are 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.
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. Selected Ambassadors will receive support, including bid assets, guidance, site inspection assistance, networking platforms, peer learning initiatives, and expert pitch coaching.
