Leading global travel management company FCM Travel Solutions has unveiled its China HUB for clients in mainland China, a cloud-based solution that is fully integrated with FCM China’s product capabilities as well as its consultant dashboards. Hosted with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud-based platform was built to meet compliance requirements to China’s updated cybersecurity law which was enforced in October last year, ensuring that sensitive data for travellers would be stored within China.

China HUB was created in situ in mainland China, and as a standalone outside of the TMC’s main portal. With no connection to the global TMC’s main HUB, this ensures that that the platform would be fully-compliant to the updated law and can be maintained more efficiently. Often, MNCs and global enterprises need to transfer information outside of China, and the cybersecurity law requires sensitive data to be stored domestically. The Personal Data Protection Law was updated and published in October 2020 to highlight the proper method and purpose of using personal data.

Calvin Xie, General Manager for FCM China said, “This move enables us to continue improving the reliability and efficiency of our online booking tool and other product capabilities in China, while at the same time comply with Chinese regulations. Personal data is often required when helping travellers to make their bookings for the generation of PNR (Passenger Name Record). As part of the updated regulation which requires service providers in China to ensure that all sensitive data be stored in China, and PNR required information belonging to the sensitive data category, it was imperative for us to provide a solution to assure travellers and set a standard for user privacy and security.”

The design and setup of China HUB was created to ensure a seamless transition for China-based clients with a look and feel similar to FCM’s global HUB, ensuring consistency within the TMC’s global standards. Many clients, whether local or MNCs, often expect flexibility to online solutions. Through China HUB, FCM’s clients will have access to a wider range of reporting tools, allowing them to be able to develop more comprehensive reports and data analysis for actionable insights.

In addition, FCM will soon launch its China edition of SAM, also known as Smart Assistant for Mobile. Positioned as a travel assistant powered by AI, the app helps travellers while they are on the move, from booking of flights, hotels and ground transport to updates on weather and traffic conditions and changes in boarding gates at the airport. The China edition will be powered by two leading Chinese technology companies WeChat and Udesk and provide a live chat solution between FCM’s travel consultants and travellers, allowing for instant messaging communication for travellers while on the go. 

Bertrand Saillet, Managing Director for FCM in Asia said, “China continues to be one of FCM’s most important markets within Asia’s footprint. As the only major global economy to report positive economic growth in 2020, China’s effective reboot is a signal that they will continue to be a dominant force on the world stage. Collaborating with local Chinese technology companies allow us to develop the local infrastructure freely and adhere to local regulations, while amplifying FCM’s global strengths to the local market. Our local and MNC clients in China get to benefit from FCM’s globally and locally connected positioning – applying our global technology standards through solutions with local Chinese technology partners.”
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About FCM Travel Solutions:

FCM Travel Solutions is one of the largest travel management companies in the world, and the flagship global business travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group. FCM’s network spans 97+ countries, employing over 6000 staff. At the heart of FCM’s business model are our highly experienced people who operate in small teams and are empowered to deliver exceptional customer service to their clients. We never use call centres. The combination of our people’s expertise, supplier relations, unrivalled negotiating strength and innovative technology solutions, has positioned FCM as a leading business travel partner for large national, multi-national and global corporations. For the last ten consecutive years FCM has been named the World’s Leading Travel Management Company at the World Travel Awards. www.fcmtravel.com

Media Contact:
Jaime Kuek
Corporate Communications
FCM Travel Solutions, Asia
Jaime.kuek@sg.fcm.travel
+65 9113 1058