The initiative brought together eight French tourism stakeholders and Indian travel industry representatives to develop opportunities in corporate events, incentive travel and destination weddings, with Paris Region reporting double-digit growth in Indian visitor spending and overnight stays in 2025.
Atout France, France’s tourism development agency, has joined forces with Visit Paris Region and Linkeus – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Convention Bureau to strengthen the country’s position in India’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.
The partners held their first MICE Conclave and Workshop in Mumbai on 24 and 25 September 2026, bringing together eight French tourism stakeholders and Indian travel industry representatives to explore opportunities in corporate events, incentive programmes and destination weddings.
The event was designed to showcase France’s business-events offering and connect French destinations and service providers with Indian corporate travel managers, event planners and travel companies. Discussions focused on destination selection, event requirements and the needs of Indian planners organising programmes in France.
The first day centred on presenting the participating destinations and their MICE capabilities. The second day featured one-to-one meetings between the French delegation and Indian travel companies specialising in corporate travel and events, enabling participants to discuss tailored itineraries, venues and service requirements.
Sheetal Munshaw
Sheetal Munshaw, director of Atout France India, said the timing was favourable as corporate events in France gained momentum. She highlighted Paris Region and the south of France as established choices for MICE programmes and destination weddings, adding that the meetings were intended to build on this demand. ” “We are very pleased with the outcome of our very first MICE Conclave & Workshop co-organised with Visit Paris Region & Linkeus – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Convention Bureau. The timing is opportune, considering the uptake in corporate events taking place in France. Paris Region and the South of France remain top favourites for MICE activations and weddings. We are confident that these productive sessions will contribute to this momentum. Sincere thanks to our partners for their support and confidence in the market,” says Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India.”
Baptiste Orlandini
Paris Region is also seeing stronger engagement from Indian visitors. Baptiste Orlandini, CEO of Choose Paris Region, said spending by Indian travellers in the region increased by 16% in 2025, while overnight stays rose by 17%. He described India as a strategic market and said the organisation’s Mumbai office, opened two years earlier, reflected its commitment to strengthening relationships with Indian travel industry partners.” “We are very happy to have organised this MICE workshop along with our partners, Atout France and Linkeus. Paris Region is a beloved and iconic destination for Indian travellers and corporate events. It is also a destination that keeps reinventing itself and offering new experiences that take visitors beyond their expectations. India is a strategic market for us, with spending growing 16% and overnight stays 17% in 2025. This is why we opened an office in Mumbai two years ago, managed by Axel Guyon, and this MICE workshop is a direct result of our efforts to better understand and meet Indian stakeholders where they are. We look forward to more engagements with the Indian travel trade in this segment,” says Baptiste Orlandini, CEO, Choose Paris Region.”
Fabrice Lavergne
The south of France is positioning itself as a complementary option for Indian event organisers seeking multi-destination programmes. Fabrice Lavergne, president of Linkeus – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Convention Bureau, said Indian planners prioritise large-scale capacity, tailored Indian food and beverage options, flexible timings and seamless logistics. ”
Beyond the Côte d’Azur, the region offers opportunities to combine destinations such as Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and Arles within a single itinerary. Working with Paris Region, Linkeus also aims to support programmes that combine the French capital with southern France for corporate groups and wedding parties.
Linkeus acts as a single point of contact for access to more than 250 event professionals, including venues and catering providers, according to Lavergne.
The Mumbai conclave reflects a coordinated effort by French tourism organisations to engage directly with India’s corporate travel and events sector. By combining destination promotion with business-to-business meetings, the partners aim to help Indian planners identify suitable venues, services and multi-region itineraries for future events in France.
