Carlson Wagonlit Travel has confirmed it’s entering China’s lucrative MICE market.
The TMC has been granted a tour operating licence by the China National Tourism Administration that will allow it to deliver inbound and domestic M&E in China for its clients.
CWT claims the deal makes it the first TMC to manage both its travel management and M&E operation in China ‘in-house’.
CWT China’s general manager Albert Zhong said the country’s rapid growth in the past decade is an accurate reflection of the “tremendous potential of the market”.
“China’s business travel market has grown to become the second largest in the world according to GBTA, and meetings and events are key drivers of this.
“We aim to grow our presence in this space and provide both local and multinational companies the expertise and support they need to organise creative, cost effective and impactful meetings and events.”
The deal means CWT’s meetings and events team will be able to offer services including event production, event management and delegate management. The TMC also said clients will benefit from a number of CWT tools that give event planners “greater visibility and control, improve decision making and help identify opportunities to drive savings”.
CWT Meetings & Events China will be based in Shanghai.