Tourism Australia Strengthens Business Events Presence in India with New Appointment and Boosted Bid Fund

Mumbai, India | June 2026: Tourism Australia’s dedicated business events division, Business Events Australia, has strengthened its presence in India with the appointment of Sharmishtha Patange as Business Events Manager – India, effective 8 June 2026. Sharmishtha will support the implementation of Business Events Australia’s distribution strategies and partnerships across India’s MICE industry while working closely with key customers and stakeholders to drive business events and incentive travel to Australia.

The appointment comes as Business Events Australia expands its focus on the Indian market and introduces new support for events from India through its Business Events Bid Fund Program (BFP). The program is designed to help event planners and corporate clients choose Australia for large-scale business events and incentive travel by providing financial assistance towards event delivery costs. For the Indian market, new subvention funding has been introduced for short-term incentive groups of at least 400 delegates travelling to Australia before 31 May 2027. The funding can be used to offset on-ground expenses such as accommodation, venue hire and transport, making it easier and more attractive for organisations to host incentive events in Australia.

India continues to be a strong growth market for Australia’s business events sector. According to Tourism Research Australia’s latest International Visitor Survey data, business events visitation from India increased by 9 per cent year-on-year in 2025, with 44,417 business delegates travelling to Australia. Total expenditure grew by 12 per cent year-on-year, reaching nearly AUD 279 million.

Speaking about the growing potential of the India business events market and Tourism Australia’s continued investment in the sector, Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager – India, Tourism Australia, said: “India is a critical growth market for Tourism Australia, driven by improved bilateral relationships and the future scale of the market. We’re thrilled to support short-term event bids from India via our Bid Fund Program and nurture key customer relationships through the support of a new dedicated Business Events resource. By doubling down on our Bid Fund Program and placing a dedicated expert on the ground, we are ensuring that Australia’s incentive offering remains top-of-mind for planners and corporate clients in India.”