Terrence Qiu Liangwei’s academic journey at the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) stems from his unwavering passion for scholarly exploration. At UTM, he achieved a succession of key milestones in his life, excelling in cultural heritage, hospitality, and tourism management.
Attending UTM was a strategic decision for Terrence, given Macao’s status as an international metropolis steeped in diverse tourism resources and abundant practical opportunities.
Terrence believes UTM’s interdisciplinary curriculum is flexible and diverse, spanning cultural and heritage preservation, business management, computer applications, language skills, tourism, and conventions – with the faculty including seasoned experts from a variety of academic and industry backgrounds – each contributing a wealth of rich teaching and research experience to his learning journey.
Terrence noted, “Under their mentorship, my academic abilities grew considerably. My professors emphasised problem awareness and critical thinking, inspiring students to explore research methodologies and derive meaningful insights that create societal values.”
Terrence shared that writing academic papers in English was once a challenge for him. However, UTM offers two undergraduate courses — Quantitative Research Methods and Qualitative Research Methods. Both of them equip students with various data analysis tools and help them systematically understand the process and structure of academic writing. “These learning experiences not only enhanced my research skills, but also laid a solid foundation for my academic pursuits in the future.”
During his academic pursuit, Terrence developed a wide range of research interests spanning niche tourism, subcultural consumption, destination marketing, higher education, and tourism experiences. He once focused primarily on digital tourism marketing, exploring how emotionally resonant digital narratives across various media platforms could reshape destination marketing strategies. Over time, he published a series of studies on short-form videos, variety shows, and travel vlogs.
During the research process, he demonstrated a strong ability to identify core issues through practical observation, proactively drawing insights that deepened and propelled his investigations. Terrence said, “This research experience allowed me to realise that if I were to become a university lecturer in the future, my role would not only be to impart knowledge, but also to guide students in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to inspire their passion for academic exploration.”
During his studies, Terrence actively engaged in international academic exchanges and regularly submitted work to international journals. To date, he has published seven academic papers in prestigious SSCI-indexed journals, including the Journal of Travel Research and Journal of Destination Marketing & Management.
Among these, his article titled "Exploring the Influence of Short Video Platforms on Tourist Attitudes and Travel Intention: A Social–Technical Perspective" has been cited over 30 times, underscoring the impact of his research. Most recently, he published a paper as first author in Leisure Studies, titled "Exploring the lived experience associated with fan-made goods: a serious leisure perspective", showcasing his innovative insights and academic strengths in subcultural consumption and fan culture.
As Terrence approaches the completion of his studies at UTM, he reflects on his future with academic ambition. Terrence is planning to pursue a career in research, continuing to deepen his expertise in the field while expanding the frontiers of knowledge and nurturing the next generation of scholars.