FCM Meetings & Events launch to boost SA’s MICE industry

As corporate travel costs continue to rise and businesses dedicate larger portions of their budgets towards meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE), FCM Meetings & Events has launched in South Africa.

“We are excited to launch FCM Meetings & Events in South Africa because the way businesses plan events is changing. Companies now want more flexibility, better technology, sustainable options, and unique, engaging solutions. South Africa offers incredible opportunities, from art galleries and sports stadiums to heritage sites, making it the perfect place to innovate. At FCM Meetings & Events, we’re here to set a new standard for business gatherings,” said Mummy Mafojane, GM FCM Meetings & Events.

A recent State of the Market 2024 found that 28% of businesses allocate more than 50% of their total travel budget to MICE-related trips. An additional 11% of businesses dedicate between 25-50% of their budget to MICE, while another 10% allocate between 15-25%. The new FCM division provides companies with a comprehensive solution to control spending on corporate events while maximising their strategic impact on business objectives.

According to the Global Business Travel Association, prices across key travel sectors are forecast to steadily increase by 2025. As budgets tighten, companies must find more efficient ways to manage this critical aspect of their operations. At the same time, well-executed corporate events and incentive travel programmes have become essential tools for driving employee engagement, motivation, and retention – priorities that have gained heightened importance due to talent shortages and the rise of hybrid work environments.

The Incentive Travel Index underscores this shift, revealing that 55% of senior leadership now views incentive travel as a strategic differentiator for enhancing company culture and workforce performance, while 48% consider it vital for driving profitability and broader business growth strategies.

“Working with a professional travel management company (TMC) delivers immense value, not only in terms of financial savings but also by improving the overall employee experience,” said Mummy.

“Given the substantial allocation of corporate travel budgets towards meetings and events, there is a clear opportunity for companies to consolidate suppliers, optimise efficiencies, and enhance visibility over their spending. This is where working with a specialist meetings management provider becomes critical.”

The growing need for outsourced meeting solutions 

As event logistics become increasingly complex, and internal teams such as HR or office managers take on more responsibility for organising company-wide meetings, a structured, outsourced approach to event management is becoming essential for driving efficiency gains.

According to a recent survey from Business Travel Show Europe, 32% of business travel buyers expect they will soon assume responsibility for meetings and events, primarily driven by the desire for cost savings and improved visibility over spend.

“FCM Meetings & Events provides an all-in-one solution for organisations seeking outsourced support to effectively manage their growing event portfolios,” Mummy added. “By leveraging our expert planning services alongside industry-leading technology platforms like our Venue Finder tool, we help companies cut costs while delivering exceptional attendee experiences.”

Comprehensive solutions tailored for South African businesses

As part of its global rollout, with successful implementations across multiple international markets, FCM Meetings & Events brings its global expertise directly into South Africa’s thriving MICE sector with solutions tailored to meet local business needs:

Smarter venue sourcing with FCM Venue Finder

A game-changing digital platform granting instant access to over 250,000 venues worldwide, the FCM Venue Finder allows planners to compare up to ten venues side-by-side with real-time pricing insights, communicate directly with suppliers to accelerate negotiations, and reduce overall sourcing times by up to 80% compared with traditional manual processes. Features include filtered “sustainability requests” and built-in analytics and reporting to make informed venue selections.

Cost-controlled group travel management   

Corporate groups can benefit from fixed airfare rates secured up to 10 months in advance, minimising financial risks associated with fluctuating market conditions (terms & conditions apply). Exclusive discounts on bulk hotel bookings are available through preferential supplier agreements, while dedicated logistics managers ensure seamless coordination across flights, transfers, and accommodation blocks.

Sustainable event planning

With the importance of sustainability in event planning set to rise from 13% today to 23% industry-wide within just two years (Incentive Index Report), FCM Meetings & Events embeds environmentally conscious strategies throughout its processes, including carbon offset tracking to help brands quantify and reduce their emissions footprints, partnerships with green-certified venues and eco-conscious supply chains, and paperless attendee registration solutions to minimise unnecessary waste.

“With our global coverage combined with deep-rooted local expertise here in South Africa, we’re offering businesses the best-of-both-worlds approach when structuring meeting programmes end-to-end,” said Mummy. “We ensure every detail is meticulously executed while maximising cost-efficiency, whether it’s small-scale executive summits or large-scale roadshows spanning multiple regions.”

The evolving future of incentive travel programmes and their strategic importance

Incentive travel is rapidly evolving beyond traditional models focused solely on rewarding top sales performers. While qualification-based sales incentives continue to account for 45% of global usage (Incentive Travel Index), new trends indicate increasing demand for company-wide incentive trips (37%, Incentive Travel Index) and large-scale networking retreats that bring dispersed colleagues together (31%, Incentive Travel Index).

This shift signals that forward-thinking organisations are adapting their engagement strategies towards more holistic models that encourage collaboration, culture-building, and a sense of shared purpose across entire workforces – rather than just targeting select high-performers. Companies are recognising the strategic value of these experiences in retaining top talent amidst today’s competitive job market.

As the importance of retention strategies grows, South Africa presents an opportune market for businesses to explore innovative incentive travel programmes. With its diverse array of world-class destinations and robust tourism infrastructure, the country offers unique settings for crafting memorable corporate travel rewards capable of boosting employee morale, motivation, and loyalty.

However, designing and executing these complex, large-scale initiatives requires specialised expertise that many organisations may lack in-house. This is where partnering with a full-service strategic meetings management provider, like FCM Meetings & Events, becomes invaluable.

“Our vision extends beyond mere logistics; we aim to transform how corporates conceptualise and execute meetings dynamically through innovation-first methodologies integrated seamlessly into everyday operations,” Mafojane says. “It’s not just about delivering events anymore – it’s about designing impactful, data-driven experiences that drive measurable returns, both financially and culturally, within organisations over the long term.”

Mummy concludes: “Our global vision for the future of meetings and travel management is centred around innovation, sustainability, accessibility and seamless integration of technology.”