ICE BSD to Host GSDC 2026, Strengthening Role as Sustainability Enabler for Global Forums

The Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry continues to demonstrate a strategic role in supporting Indonesia’s economic and tourism growth. As of September 2025, 134 national events were successfully held, attracting a total of 10.8 million visitors. Indonesia currently ranks 37th globally and 4th in the ASEAN region within the MICE industry, strengthening its position as an increasingly competitive destination for international events and conferences.

To bolster this momentum, the government aims to increase the MICE sector’s contribution to foreign exchange reserves from approximately 10% to 15% by 2029. This target is to be achieved through the development of the national event ecosystem, enhancing destination competitiveness, and expanding more inclusive and sustainable economic impacts.

This growth momentum also presents greater opportunities for Indonesia to host various large-scale global forums. One such achievement is the appointment of Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD as the host for the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC) 2026, a sustainable development forum that brings together global leaders from various sectors.

Siti Karmila, General Manager of ICE BSD, stated, “The appointment of ICE BSD as the host of GSDC 2026 is a great honour and recognition of the capacity and operational standards we have built over many years. We are committed not only to providing the best facilities but also to serving as a global collaboration hub that brings various stakeholders together to drive innovation and knowledge exchange for the acceleration of sustainable development.”

In line with the increasing demand for sustainable event management, ICE BSD continues to strengthen its role as a MICE destination that integrates operational aspects with environmental responsibility. This commitment is part of ICE BSD’s transformation to introduce new standards for the event organising industry in Indonesia.

In its implementation, ICE BSD is developing various sustainability initiatives, ranging from energy efficiency through the use of natural lighting and energy-saving LED lamps, to water recycling systems and the provision of EV Charging Stations for visitors and event participants.

This commitment is further strengthened through a collaboration with Rekosistem for the GSDC 2026 to implement an integrated waste management system. This initiative includes providing sorted bins, educator assistance in the sorting process, and the provision of Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) to encourage active participation from participants in collecting recyclable materials.

Through this collaboration, 1.62 tonnes of waste were successfully managed during the GSDC 2026 proceedings. From this total volume, Rekosistem recorded a recovery rate of 41%, which was diverted from landfills for recycling, while 57.30% consisted of residual waste, and the remaining 1.60% was organic waste.

From the total waste collected across four collection cycles, the salvaged inorganic material was dominated by plastic at 14.35% and paper at 10.07%, followed by plastic bottles, cardboard, glass, and metal. These integrated sorting and management efforts successfully created a significant environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions by up to 667.9 kg of CO2. This environmental saving is equivalent to planting 11.35 tree seedlings for 10 years, or saving 285.70 litres of petrol and 333.25 kg of coal. This step is part of a concrete effort to promote the implementation of a circular economy in the MICE industry.

“Through GSDC 2026, we want to demonstrate that hosting international forums on a global scale can run in harmony with environmental responsibility. We hope this initiative can serve as an example for other event organisers in adopting more sustainable practices that have a wide impact on the MICE industry,” added Siti Karmila, General Manager of ICE BSD.

GSDC 2026 features more than 5,000 participants, 500 speakers, 200 exhibitors, and delegates from over 100 countries. This forum serves as a platform for cross-sector collaboration to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovation, knowledge, and real action.

In addition to its superior facilities, ICE BSD was selected as the venue for GSDC 2022 because it offers added value through highly strategic connectivity for international participants. Serving as a modern global-scale convention centre, the location is easily accessible via various modes of public transport and private vehicles. For delegates arriving by air, the journey from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to ICE BSD takes approximately 35 minutes via car or airport rail service.

Ease of access to public transport is also reflected in the integration of the Airport Train (KAI Bandara Railink) route to Duri Station, which connects to commuter trains via Tanah Abang to the Rangkasbitung Line at Cisauk Station. From the nearest station, participants only need to continue a short journey via taxi or ride-hailing services to the venue. For land access, ICE BSD is also very easy to reach thanks to direct connections to major toll road networks, including the Prof. Dr. Sedyatmo Toll, JORR W2, and the Kunciran–Serpong Toll.

With indoor and outdoor areas exceeding 85,000 square metres, ICE BSD is the largest MICE destination in Indonesia and has hosted various conferences, exhibitions, concerts, and international forums for over a decade. Located in BSD City and integrated with hotels, commercial centres, and transport access, ICE BSD continues to strengthen its position as a primary enabler.