For years, Singapore and Thailand have dominated the Southeast Asian MICE landscape, leveraging world-class venues like Singapore's Marina Bay Sands and Bangkok's Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. But Indonesia is now making a concerted push to capture a larger share of the regional business events market, backed by significant government investment and a strategic geographic position.
According to a 2025 report from Vietnamese travel agency Trusted DMC, Indonesia is riding the bleisure wave, with a notable increase in inbound arrivals for industry events who then extend their stays for leisure. Jakarta is the epicenter of this trend. The report notes that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is playing a key role in national economic recovery, leveraging natural resources, cultural heritage, and diverse destinations. The country is investing in tourism infrastructure, including luxury hotels and modern convention centers.
IBEM and SEABEF: A Dual Strategy to Boost Jakarta's MICE Appeal
Indonesia is banking on the inaugural Indonesia Business Event Mart (IBEM) to elevate its status as a preferred regional MICE destination. IBEM will be held at the Jakarta International Convention Centre from 28th to 31st July, running concurrently with the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (SEABEF). These joint events are designed to showcase business meetings, networking opportunities, educational discussions, destination showcases, and hosted buyer programs, aiming to create meaningful business connections and long-term partnerships across the travel and events industry.
For regional and global MICE professionals, the combined event raises Jakarta's appeal for both business events and incentive trips. It helps professionals understand the city better, enabling them to build more compelling proposal packages for clients and partners.
Geographic Advantage and Infrastructure Upgrades
Geographically, Indonesia sits at the center of Southeast Asia, within two to five hours' flying time from major corporate hubs like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore. This proximity is a key selling point for event organizers seeking accessible destinations.
The country has been ramping up its infrastructure since hosting the Asian Games in Palembang in 2017. At that time, the government spent approximately US$2.4 billion on infrastructural development, including the Palembang light rail transit (LRT) connecting Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport to the Jakabaring Stadium complex, as well as the renovation of Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. In subsequent years, Indonesia has added the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City, and several key MICE venues in Bali.
This infrastructure drive underscores the government's support for the tourism and MICE sectors, which remain strong pillars of the national economy. The expansion of convention capacity also aligns with broader hospitality growth in the region, such as Radisson Hotel Group's accelerated Southeast Asia Pacific expansion and Gilles Cretallaz's return to Accor to lead luxury operations across East and Southeast Asia.
As the Southeast Asian MICE market grows more competitive, Indonesia's combination of government backing, new venues, and strategic location positions it as a rising contender. The success of IBEM and SEABEF will be a key indicator of whether the country can translate its infrastructure investments into a larger share of the region's business events pie.
