FCM plots major expansion of meetings and events division

Travel management company FCM is targeting global growth for its MICE business through a $20 million investment in this segment of the organisation.

The Flight Centre-owned brand highlighted survey results showing that nearly one quarter of its EMEA corporate clients (23 per cent) are spending more than half of their travel budget on meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.

While another 8 per cent of EMEA-based clients spend between 25 and 50 per cent of their travel budgets on MICE.

Frits De Kok, head of FCM Meetings & Events, EMEA, said: “We know the growth potential for this segment is unparalleled and that is why we’re investing so heavily in it. This $20 million global investment is a testament to our commitment to driving innovation and results in this space.”

De Kok said the TMC was focused on building an “end-to-end” solution to integrate event and travel management.

“We are strategically investing in our people and technology, ensuring that we have the right teams in key locations across Europe, including the Nordics, Spain and France, with an eye on expansion into South Africa and Dubai in early 2025,” he added.

FCM Meetings & Events is currently “repositioning worldwide to deliver a unified offering, leveraging itself as a subsidiary of FCM Travel, and harnessing its global scale, but with regional customisation”, according to a company statement.

Simone Seiler, the division’s global general manager, added: “Globalising the FCM M&E business will allow us to add consistency and scale for customers looking for a global meetings and events provider, which has hub offices in all four regions, global consistency but with local nuance to understand specific client needs.

“We now operate in more than a dozen countries globally, with future expansion plans in the works. Australia, India and Mexico are currently thriving for us, and we really see North America, Asia and Europe as key regions with the largest opportunities for growth.”

As part of its expansion plans, FCM Meetings & Events has appointed Joanne Shaw as a global director of enterprise sales based in London.