The Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) marked its 20th anniversary at the 15th IEIA Open Seminar & Exhibition Services Expo 2026, an event that drew more than 1,200 delegates from across India’s exhibitions and MICE sectors.

Held under the theme “When the Right Dots Meet, Industry Moves”, the two-day event brought together organisers, venue operators, suppliers, trade bodies and government officials, reflecting the rapid growth of India’s business events market and wider investment in convention infrastructure.

The seminar featured senior figures from government and industry, including Jawed Ashraf, chairman of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Suman Billa, additional secretary and director general at India’s ministry of tourism, and Sooraj Dhawan, president of IEIA.

Ashraf said exhibitions continued to demonstrate “the enduring importance of face-to-face communication and human engagement” despite the rise of AI technologies. He also called for closer public-private collaboration to improve the delegate experience and strengthen India’s exhibition ecosystem.

Billa said India aims to increase tourism’s contribution to GDP from 5% to 10% over the next decade, with MICE expected to play a significant role. He pointed to recent investment in airports, expressways and convention infrastructure, adding that the focus must now shift towards better utilisation of exhibition venues.

The event also underlined the scale of expansion taking place in India’s exhibitions market. Rakesh Kumar, chairman of India Exposition Mart Ltd (IEML), highlighted the upcoming Noida International Airport as a major boost for connectivity and future exhibition growth in the region.

Alongside the conference programme, the Exhibition Services Expo featured more than 130 exhibitors showcasing event technology, venue services, logistics and infrastructure solutions. Organisers said the event included pre-arranged B2B meetings designed to connect suppliers, organisers and venue operators.

Sessions across the programme focused on AI and digitalisation, sustainability, visitor engagement, workplace culture and future trade show strategy, themes increasingly shaping exhibition markets globally as organisers look to balance growth with technology adoption and operational efficiency.

The event also included an IEIA CEOs Roundtable chaired by Billa, sustainability and booth design awards, and the graduation ceremony for the latest cohort of the IEIA Professional Exhibition Management programme.