Korvo Liu Baichuan, who comes from Shandong, is a graduate of the Bachelor of Tourism Business Management programme at the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). He first gained insight into the tourism industry after attending an admissions presentation held by UTM in Qingdao, Shandong, which marked the start of his journey with the university. Over four years of university life, he took part in club activities, academic exchanges, field research, industrial internship and innovation competitions step by step. He steadily built up his professional expertise and comprehensive capabilities, and finally set his sights on the integration of digital technology and the hospitality sector. He has now received admission offers from many prestigious universities in Hong Kong, Macao and overseas.
"When I decided to study at UTM, it was because of an admissions roadshow the university held in Qingdao. For the first time, I truly realised that tourism is not only a discipline closely connected with industries, but also a career path featuring international vision, practical opportunities and academic depth," Korvo recalled when talking about his choice of university. What impressed him most about UTM was its distinctive education philosophy. "Back then, what attracted me to UTM was not merely its strengths in tourism education. More importantly, it allows students to learn in a real industrial environment and explore themselves in an open, diverse and international atmosphere. This learning culture, which gives students room to experiment and resources to grow, enabled me to explore various new fields during my four years here, discover more possibilities, and gradually figure out the career path I truly want to pursue."
Gaining Experience Through Diverse Endeavours
In his first year at university, Korvo did not rush to set career goals. Instead, he seized every opportunity to enrich his experience. He joined multiple student clubs including the debate club and served as Head of the Marketing Department of the Macao Mainland Students Association, honing his skills in teamwork, event organisation and communication. Meanwhile, he took part in an inter-university exchange programme and studied at Sun Yat-sen University. He also joined field research trips to Shangliang Village in Boluo, Huizhou, conducting a study themed Exploring the Community Embeddedness of Homestay Enterprises Based on Embeddedness Theory. The experience allowed him to closely observe how sustainable tourism interacts with rural life and local development.
As his studies progressed, he developed a more profound understanding of the industry. "As I delved deeper into my studies, I began to comprehend the complexity of the tourism industry in a systematic way. I came to realise that solid professional development must be built on the combination of theoretical learning, industrial practice and problem awareness," Korvo shared. One of UTM’s core educational features is bridging classroom knowledge with real-world industry. "A highlight of UTM’s training model is that we do not just learn about tourism from textbooks, but truly immerse ourselves in the tourism industry."
During his studies, he joined university-organised study tours across the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong. His visits covered a wide range of venues, including the Diaolou Towers of Kaiping (a World Cultural Heritage Site), Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Hong Kong International Airport and technology companies. From destination operation, hotel services and aviation support to cultural tourism technology, he gained a full picture of how different segments of the tourism industrial chain operate. In his third year, he completed a six-month internship in the Brand Marketing and Advertising Department at Wynn Resorts Macao. He was fully involved in brand communication and cross-department collaboration, and was awarded the Outstanding Intern title for his excellent performance.
Forging Ahead with a Focus on Digital Innovation
Drawing on his academic learning and practical experience, Korvo shifted his focus to the integration of digital technology and the tourism industry. He participated in innovative projects that apply artificial intelligence to optimise Online Travel Agency (OTA) platforms and tourism scenarios, striving to enhance travellers’ experience. He also competed in numerous innovation and entrepreneurship contests, winning the Gold Award at the 2nd National Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao Digital Economy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, as well as awards from the National College Students E-Commerce Challenge, the National Tourism Management Virtual Simulation Competition, and the Third Prize at the UTM Idea-cation Competition.
"What truly interests me is not just solving day-to-day operational problems. I hope to understand the mechanisms behind tourism development from a long-term and systematic perspective, and explore how technology can create new opportunities for tourism experiences and destination development," he said.
Upon graduation, Korvo received admission offers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The University of Melbourne and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He finally chose to pursue the Master of Artificial Intelligence in Hospitality at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, to further research how technology empowers the tourism and hospitality industries. Looking back on his four years at UTM, he noted that his greatest gain was not the awards he received, but getting to know himself and finding his passion in such a diverse learning environment.
To prospective students considering UTM, he shared his advice: "UTM offers plenty of opportunities for you to try different paths. All you need to do is commit yourself to every experience. Most people do not figure out their life direction from the very start; it gradually emerges through continuous learning, practice and exploration."