FCM Meetings & Events (FCM M&E), the long-standing specialists in the sector and flagship division of the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), has announced a global expansion of the business that will see industry expert Simone Seiler moving into the role of Global General Manager to oversee lofty ambitions and bring all the global M&E businesses into one.
Seiler is a seasoned travel industry executive with over two decades of experience and is passionate about the business events sector, bringing her global perspective and local knowledge to dozens of countries and partner networks as the worldwide leader, supporting in-market business leaders.
Events, event travel and meetings are leading the business travel bounce back globally with a recent white paper* by FCM M&E revealing that MICE market size, in terms of revenue, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6 per cent from 2022 to 2030 to reach USD1563.3 billion by 2030.
“We believe the meetings, events, and event travel markets are ripe for disruption worldwide. With this investment, we’re well-positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for high-quality and personalised event experiences that has seen an exponential bounceback,” Seiler said.
“It’s clear the demand for in-person connection continues to increase, with recent data showing conferences and events being one of the top two reasons for travel among both SME owners and decision-makers. The passion and engagement we’re seeing is very encouraging, and this is something that has and continues to be felt globally.
“We have a talented and diverse FCM M&E leadership team in key markets across the globe who are genuinely thrilled at the opportunity to elevate our MICE offering across our prospective and existing client base.”
The announcement is a significant milestone for FCM M&E, a business that already has a strong footprint across several countries in multiple continents, and the company is committed to providing its customers with unique and memorable experiences – while staying true to the wider FCTG ‘glocal’ philosophy.
“What’s particularly exciting is just how big the MICE industry is globally, and we know we have an incredible opportunity to both grow and position ourselves as the travel management company of choice for meetings, events, and event travel,” Seiler continued.
“We’re experiencing and anticipating a steady annual growth rate of demand at 12 per cent year on year for in-person meetings, which means we have some exciting opportunities coming our way.
“We’re thrilled to embark on this new chapter for FCM M&E, and with an exceptionally talented team globally, I’m very confident we can achieve our ambitious goals.”
Marcus Eklund, FCM Global Managing Director, said the M&E division was the not-so-secret jewel in the crown of the industry sector and its expansion reflected the growing global in-person demand.
“FCM is a business that is proudly global, with a footprint in more than 100 countries worldwide, but we stay loyal to our mantra of our ‘glocal’ approach where we have industry experts leading their own regional teams to cater for different cultural requirements,” said Eklund.
“The M&E business has been firing in the last 18 months and the scope for growth is outstanding. With our superior technology and decades of industry experience within our teams, we couldn’t be in a better position to capitalise on industries that are desperate to be back to face-to-face.
“Recent research published by GBTA* stated that more than eight in 10 executives prefer in-person meetings to virtual contact and that’s certainly something we’ve experienced in recent times.
“I’d also like to offer my congratulations to Simone, who has been part of the very fabric of our M&E business for many years, her appointment is the perfect example of the ‘Brightness of Future’ we offer our employees at FCTG.”
FCM Meetings & Events is committed to growing its presence in this sector and its global footprint. Priorities include the development of innovative technology solutions and investing in extra talent with the company planning to focus on three core areas:
- Meetings: Provide a wide range of meeting services, including venue sourcing, managed meetings, basic planning, and onsite support
- Event Travel: Offer group travel, from flights and hotels, through to transfers and team building
- Events: Provide full event management services including planning, strategies, execution, and delivery.
