Kochi | A three-day Wedding and MICE Conclave organised by the Kerala Travel Mart Society in collaboration with the state government will open in Kochi on Thursday, which organisers claim is the first event of its kind in India.

It will draw participants from across the country and from 19 nations abroad, aiming to position Kerala as a premier destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) as well as destination weddings, they said on Wednesday.

Tourism and Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas will inaugurate the conclave at the Grand Hyatt on Bolgatty Island, while Industries, Law, and Coir Minister P Rajeev will chair the opening ceremony, according to a statement.

Business meetings, networking sessions, and deliberations will take place at the Le Meridien International Convention Centre.

A total of 610 domestic and 65 international buyers have registered for the event. Representatives from the UAE, UK, Germany, USA, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Oman, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam are expected to attend, it said.

The conclave will feature 75 exhibition stalls for sellers, along with dedicated stalls from the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), Kerala Tourism, and the Union Ministry of Tourism.

Two national seminars focusing on current trends and the future vision of the sector, featuring international experts, are also planned, the organisers said.