FCM Meetings & Events (M&E) is going global, with seasoned travel industry executive Simone Seiler at the helm. The flagship division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) is expanding its footprint internationally at a time when the MICE sector is seeing a strong rebound.
With two decades of experience under her belt, Seiler will bring her global perspective and local knowledge to dozens of countries and partner networks, supporting in-market business leaders.
“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, who has been with the company since 2020, enthused.
Globally, the MICE market size is projected to be worth US$1,563.3 billion in the next seven years, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from 2022 to 2030, according to new research from FCM M&E.
“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,” she added.
FCM Global Managing Director Marcus Eklund welcomed the appointment of Seiler, who he said “has been part of the very fabric of our M&E business for many years”.
He added that the company’s events arm “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”.
Going forward, M&E will prioritise the development of innovative technology solutions and will invest in extra talent across three core areas, which include providing full event management services (planning, strategies, execution, and delivery), meeting services (venue sourcing, managed meetings, basic planning, and onsite support), and group travel (from flights and hotels, through to transfers and team building).
