UTM Celebrates 11th Anniversary of the Tourism Education Student Summit
The Macao University of Tourism (UTM) is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of tourism professionals. On 17 June, UTM and Galaxy Entertainment Group co-hosted the 11th annual Tourism Education Student Summit at JW Marriott at Galaxy Macau. With the theme “Leisure Legacy and Beyond: Building a Diverse Tourism Future”, the summit focused on discussing the sustainable development of regional tourism.
This year’s summit featured Professor Doris Chenguang Wu, Assistant Dean in the School of Business at the Sun Yat-sen University, China, as the academic keynote speaker. The industry keynote speakers included Mr James Koratzopoulos, Executive Vice President of Hotel and MICE Operations of Galaxy Entertainment Group, and Mr Daniel Chio, Sous Chef at Galaxy Macau and the first local representative from Macao, China, for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Young Chefs Programme. UTM extended its sincere appreciation to Galaxy Entertainment Group for its generous sponsorship of the event.
The summit showcased 39 outstanding student theses and projects at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, covering a wide range of topics including hotel management, event management, cultural heritage, tourism marketing, and technological innovation. This diverse selection highlighted the academic rigour and creativity of UTM students.
Additionally, after rigorous reviews, students from other institutions in the Greater Bay Area cities, were invited to participate.
Dr. Connie Loi, Vice Rector of UTM, remarked on the critical importance of economic diversification, noting that UTM is committed to empowering the next generation to reshape the tourism sector. By expanding the summit's platform to include postgraduate students from the Greater Bay Area for the first time, UTM aims to broaden the scope of regional research and foster deeper academic inquiry. This also marks the first year to include doctoral students’ presentations. Such an initiative underscores the university's commitment to cultivating advanced research minds, ensuring students are ready to lead Macao’s sustainable and diverse tourism future.
A panel of academics and industry experts engaged with students during the event, providing insights and feedback on their research. Outstanding papers were recognised with the Best Paper Awards, celebrating their exceptional performance.
