Destination management company in India for agencies and PCOs
ICE India is a destination management company in India for event agencies and PCOs bringing conferences, incentives and offsites here, with 1,500+ events delivered since 2009. We run venues, hotels, transport, programmes and on-site teams from Mumbai.
- 1,500+events delivered since 2009
- 50+destinations
- 40+countries, through vetted local partners
- 98%client retention
What we handle as your DMC
One local team for venue, hotel, transport, production and on-site coordination.
Venues and hotels
Venue sourcing, site inspections and hotel contracting, from palaces and beach resorts to city convention hotels.
Transport
Airport transfers, intercity movement and on-site transport for small groups and large delegations.
Programmes
Heritage, wellness, adventure and cultural itineraries, gala evenings and team activities, built around your objectives.
Conference production
Registration, AV, staging and hybrid streaming for conferences, partner meets and summits.
On-site team
A dedicated team on the ground, local permissions in place and contingency plans for live events.
Programmes abroad
Incentives and offsites outside India through vetted ground partners, with visas and travel documents coordinated.
How a DMC programme runs
Brief
Send dates, group size, cities and budget range. You get a single point of contact, end to end.
Venues and hotels
We shortlist options, inspect the sites and contract the ones that fit.
Itemised quote
Costs come with a vendor-level breakdown, so your finance team can compare line by line.
Delivery
Our on-site team runs the programme, handles changes as they happen and reviews it with you afterwards.
Programmes we have delivered on the ground
Workation in Goa
A fortnight in Goa for global tech professionals, mixing strategy meets, hackathons, Holi and dining.
ICANN85 cultural evening, Mumbai
A classical dance and music evening for international delegates, during ICANN85 in Mumbai, 7-12 March 2026.
Rockefeller Foundation global summit, Khandala
A four-day convening for 70+ of the Foundation's grantees and partners at Athiva Resort, with visa letters, transfers and production.
What does a destination management company do?
A destination management company, or DMC, is the local supplier an agency hires to run a group programme in a place it does not operate from. The agency keeps the client relationship and the concept. The DMC contracts the venues and hotels, moves the group, staffs the event on site and solves problems as they happen.
ICE India is a DMC in India for overseas event agencies and PCOs, and for Indian agencies that need a dependable ground partner in a city they do not cover. We source and inspect venues, contract hotels, arrange transport and experiences, produce conferences and gala evenings, and put our own crew on site.
Inbound MICE to India, from brief to departure
Inbound MICE means a group from outside India coming for a meeting, incentive, conference or event. The work splits into stages, and ICE India covers each one.
Entry documents differ by nationality, so we confirm the current requirements with you at the brief rather than assume them.
- Before arrival
- Dates, cities and budget agreed. Venues and hotels shortlisted, inspected and contracted. Itinerary and itemised quote signed off by you.
- Arrival and programme
- Airport reception, transfers and check-in coordinated against flight lists, then sessions, excursions and evenings run by our on-site team, with local permissions in place and a contingency for each day.
- Departure and review
- Departure transfers, settlement with vendors and a review with you of what worked and what to change next time.
Why do global event planners choose India for MICE?
India gives a group programme value, variety and scale in one country. This is what agencies find when they compare it with other long-haul destinations.
| Factor | India advantage | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Cost efficiency | A lower cost base than Europe or North America for venues, hotels, production and logistics | Large conferences, multi-day incentives, association conventions |
| Destination diversity | Palaces, beaches, hill stations, technology hubs and spiritual sites in one country | Incentive tours, multi-city roadshows, themed retreats |
| Venue capacity | Purpose-built convention centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Jaipur, the largest seating over 11,000 delegates | International summits, medical congresses, global AGMs |
| Cultural experiences | Living heritage, Bollywood galas, wellness retreats and regional cuisine | Dealer summits, leadership offsites, reward and recognition programmes |
| Infrastructure | International airports in every major city, five-star hotel chains, reliable connectivity and multilingual staff | PCO-managed conferences, hybrid events, board meetings |
Which convention centres in India suit large MICE groups?
These are the venues international groups most often ask about. Capacity depends on the layout, so we confirm the configuration for your format when we shortlist.
| Venue | City | Capacity | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yashobhoomi (India International Convention and Expo Centre) | New Delhi | Over 11,000 delegates | A 6,000-seat plenary hall, a 2,400-guest ballroom and 13 meeting rooms, close to the international airport |
| Bharat Mandapam | New Delhi | 7,000 delegates | Plenary and multipurpose halls that combine into one space, with 24 meeting rooms |
| Jio World Convention Centre | Mumbai | 3,200 guests in the ballroom | Over 100,000 sq m including three exhibition halls, in the Bandra Kurla business district |
| Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Goregaon | Mumbai | Audiences of over 5,000 in Hall 5 | About 60,000 sq m of exhibition space across five halls and The Grande, including a 10,800 sq m pillarless hall |
| Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) | Hyderabad | 5,000 in the main hall, up to 6,500 delegates | Pillarless halls with mobile walls, beside a hotel |
| Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC) | Jaipur | About 20,000 sq m of exhibition space | Two pillarless halls and a 1,200-delegate ballroom, for exhibitions and large corporate events |
| Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre | Gandhinagar | 5,000 in the main hall | Convention halls that split into smaller rooms, with exhibition halls alongside |
| Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) | Bengaluru | About 77,000 sq m of exhibition space | Five exhibition halls and a separate conference centre, for trade shows and large corporate events |
| The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel | Delhi NCR | 3,500 guests in the Grand Sapphire ballroom | A pillarless ballroom with 17 ft ceiling and a hotel on site, for large conferences and gala dinners |
Where does ICE India run inbound DMC programmes?
India is large, and a good programme links places that travel well together. We contract, move and staff groups in every region, and plan each circuit around the plenary, the incentive or the offsite.
- North India
- Delhi for large conferences, VIP handling and streaming. Agra for a one or two night Taj stop and Mughal-themed galas. Jaipur and Udaipur for palace, fort and lakeside gala settings. Together they form the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan circuit.
- West India
- Mumbai for convention centres, sponsor zones and an easy international arrival. Goa for beachfront resorts, ballrooms for 100 to 800 guests, cruises and wellness add-ons. Lonavala for hill-station retreats. Ahmedabad for industrial delegations in Gujarat.
- South India
- Bengaluru for technology and innovation conferences. Hyderabad for HITEC City conventions and pharma delegations. Chennai for executive offsites and manufacturing study tours. Kerala for backwater resorts, hill retreats and Ayurveda.
- East and North-East India
- Kolkata for colonial venues and city conferences. Darjeeling and Sikkim for tea-estate and Himalayan retreats, with altitude-aware itineraries. Guwahati as the gateway to the North-East. Meghalaya for nature-led programmes in the Khasi Hills.
- Islands and special circuits
- The Andamans for private beach incentives and dinners. The Sundarbans for nature expeditions in the mangrove delta. Heritage train journeys, adventure circuits, national park retreats and wellness circuits for smaller, high-touch groups.
DMC or in-house event team, which is right for your business?
| Factor | DMC | In-house team |
|---|---|---|
| Local expertise | Deep destination knowledge and venue relationships | Limited to the places the team already knows |
| Group size | Programmes from small groups to the 2,500-delegate ICANN85 conference, across 50+ destinations, delivered in India by ICE India and abroad through vetted local partners | Capped by the size of the team |
| Cost | Rates negotiated with local venues, paid for only when a programme runs | Salaries and overheads whether or not events run |
| Risk management | An on-site team and a contingency plan for every day | Little local support when plans change |
| Best fit | Multi-city programmes, international groups and large delegations | Small local meetings and internal events |
Agencies choose ICE India as their DMC when local knowledge and scale matter more than keeping every task in house. For a first incentive trip to India, or a group spread across several cities, a DMC can reduce the burden on an in-house team by bringing local supplier knowledge, venue access and on-site coordination to the programme.
How do you choose a DMC in India?
There is no official ranking of DMCs in India, so the useful test is what a company can show you. Ask each one the same questions and compare the answers side by side.
ICE India would rather be judged on these points than on a claim of being the best. Ask us all of them.
- Who contracts the venues?
- Find out whether the DMC holds the relationships itself or resells another company's. Ask which hotels it has inspected recently.
- Is the quote itemised?
- A line-by-line quote lets your finance team compare vendors and spot where the money goes.
- Who is your contact?
- You want one person who answers for the whole programme.
- What happens when plans change?
- Ask for the contingency plan: alternate venues, vehicle backups, weather and delay cover for live days.
- Which destinations has it run?
- Look for programmes similar to yours, in the cities you need, with real photographs and references.
- Are permissions handled?
- Local permissions for venues, music, processions or heritage sites should be part of the plan, not an afterthought.
What goes into a DMC quote for India?
ICE India quotes each programme separately, with a vendor-level breakdown. There is no standard rate card, because the same group costs very different amounts in different cities and seasons. For reference, a one-night conference for 200 delegates, including stay on twin sharing, food and beverage, AV and branding, typically costs ₹35-70 lakh, before GST.
| Quote line | What it covers | What moves the cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels and venues | Rooms, meeting halls, banquets, outdoor settings | Group size, season, venue tier, number of nights |
| Transport | Airport transfers, intercity movement, local vehicles | Number of cities, distances, vehicle type |
| Programme and experiences | Excursions, cultural evenings, activities, guides | Scale, exclusivity, permissions required |
| Conference production | Staging, AV, registration, hybrid streaming | Venue, number of rooms, streaming needs |
| On-site team | Crew, coordinators, supervisors | Group size, number of locations and days |
| Permissions and contingency | Local permissions, backup vehicles and alternate venues | Venue type, season, size of group |
How ICE India works with agencies and PCOs
Your agency leads the client relationship and the concept. ICE India runs the ground: venues, hotels, transport, programme and on-site delivery. We work with overseas agencies bringing groups to India and with Indian agencies that need a trusted partner in another city.
Sailors' Society had no team, venue or vendor in Mumbai, and ICE India was its local arm for its first fundraising dinner in India. Registration, arrivals and rooming for larger groups run through event logistics and delegate management.
Tourism boards and overseas DMCs that want to reach Indian buyers should see India destination representation. Companies planning their own event should see corporate MICE or conference management.
Do you also act as a DMC outside India?
Indian agencies often need a ground partner in the country their client wants to visit. ICE India works with vetted local partners in 40+ countries, so a group travelling from India has one team to deal with. The local partner delivers on the ground and we stay your contact.
ICE India has run offsites and incentive programmes across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. We coordinate visas and travel documents, venues, transport and on-site support, and brief the partner on your group before they land. Tell us the country and we will confirm which partner fits.
Sailors’ Society is an international Maritime Charity that host events and have projects all over the globe. This was our first event in India and we came to ICE for event support. They were very professional in their approach and advised from concept through to delivery. Without their help, we would have struggled to get our event right. Mufaddal was always happy to help, even when plans changed last minute and whole event concepts had to be re-thought. We will hopefully be doing another event in India and we would be happy to work with ICE Events again. Friendly and confident in their approach, we were happy that we had chosen the correct company to work with us on our Sailors’ Society Dinner.
Dear Mufaddal & ICE team,
I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the amazing job you did in organizing our all-company offsite in Goa. From start to finish, it was a seamless and enjoyable experience. Your team was a pleasure to work with, and I was thoroughly impressed by their professionalism, attention to detail, and willingness to go above and beyond.
Mufaddal, throughout the planning stages, you were incredibly responsive and proactive in addressing any questions or concerns we had. You provided us with valuable insights and recommendations that helped us create a customized program that perfectly met our needs for a good balance between team building, local experiences and fun.
During the event, your team was exceptional in their coordination and execution. They were always available to help and ensure everything was running smoothly. I appreciate you being there to supervise everything and act as a point of contact throughout the event, going out of your way to accommodate any last-minute needs or changes. Your personal involvement really helped us deliver a memorable and meaningful offsite.
Overall, I am thrilled with the experience your team provided us.
We worked with ICE India for Confluence, our annual global partners meet. There were 4 other agencies who were pitching for this event and we finally chose ICE India due to their thorough understanding of our needs and the innovative ideas which they suggested for the event. Since this was the first time that we were working with ICE India for such a large scale event, we were a bit skeptical, but Mufaddal and his team were involved in every small aspect of the event and executed it seamlessly. The biggest thing that they bring to the table is the organized way in which they work, which leads to minimum last minute issues, which we all know is bound to happen in a large scale event. All in all it was a very good experience working with them.
Frequently asked questions
Can you run a programme across several Indian cities?
Yes. The group follows one itinerary under one itemised quote, and delivery teams in eight service locations cover the cities in between. See our multi-city events page for how it runs.
How do I start a DMC enquiry with ICE India?
Call +91 93219 98361, email webqueries@iceindia.biz or use the form below. Share the programme dates, group size, cities, budget range and your objectives. We return with venue options, a recommended itinerary and an itemised quote.
Do you quote net rates, and what about agency commission?
Each quote is built to the brief and itemised by vendor, so every line can be compared. Tell us the terms you need when you send the brief. We reply within one working day.
Is GST included in a DMC quote?
The reference figures on this page, such as ₹35-70 lakh for a one-night conference for 200 delegates, are before GST. Each programme is quoted to the brief, with the breakdown itemised line by line.
Do you handle visas for groups coming to India?
It depends on the delegates' nationality, so the requirements are checked with you at the brief. Visa letters were part of the work on the Rockefeller Foundation summit at Khandala.
How are contingencies and insurance handled on a group programme?
Through the on-site team and a day-by-day contingency plan, with alternate venues and backup vehicles lined up for live days. If your group needs insurance named in the quote, say so in the brief.
Destinations an agency can bring groups to
- Destination
Goa
Beachfront resorts, large ballrooms, cruises and wellness add-ons in one compact destination.
- Destination
Rajasthan
Palace and fort venues in Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur, heritage entertainment and desert camps.
- Destination
Kerala
Backwater resorts, hill retreats and Ayurveda for wellness-led incentives.
- Destination
North East India
Shillong, Kaziranga and Sikkim for groups that have seen the usual circuit.
- Destination
Mumbai
Convention centres, sponsor zones and an easy international arrival for multi-city programmes.
- Destination
New Delhi
Large-format conferences, VIP handling and the start of the Golden Triangle circuit.
Related services
Destination representation in India
For foreign DMCs and tourism boards that want to reach Indian corporate and agency buyers.
Corporate MICE agency
Incentive travel, retreats and offsites planned for your own teams and partners.