{"id":12111,"date":"2024-07-25T16:29:07","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T08:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/?p=12111"},"modified":"2024-07-25T16:32:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T08:32:33","slug":"utm-co-hosts-apta-annual-conference-showcasing-cutting-edge-tourism-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/utm-co-hosts-apta-annual-conference-showcasing-cutting-edge-tourism-research\/","title":{"rendered":"<strong>UTM co-hosts APTA annual conference showcasing cutting-edge tourism research<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12111 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-herald-lay-a-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-a-full size-herald-lay-a-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-12117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n.jpg 990w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449718379_947335337194780_7269837340441446199_n-187x124.jpg 187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-12117'>\n\t\t\t\tThe APTA 2024 Conference took place at the Galaxy International Convention Center from 3 to 5 July\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-a-full size-herald-lay-a-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-12116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n.jpg 990w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449715301_947335297194784_396255895523878500_n-187x124.jpg 187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-12116'>\n\t\t\t\tOver 200 academics and tourism and hospitality professionals drawn from 26 countries and regions attended the event\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"herald-popup\" href='https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-herald-lay-a-full size-herald-lay-a-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-12118\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n.jpg 990w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-414x276.jpg 414w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-470x313.jpg 470w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-130x86.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/449839439_947335317194782_5454831156306285389_n-187x124.jpg 187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-12118'>\n\t\t\t\tDr. Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan, Rector of UTM, during her welcoming remarks at the conference\u2019s opening ceremony\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<span class='pum-trigger  popmake-12113  text-center font-blue' data-do-default=''>\u4e2d\u6587\u6458\u8981 \/ Summary in Chinese<\/span>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em><em>Key themes discussed at the APTA 2024 Conference included digitalisation and environmental sustainability. The conference \u2013 aligning with Macao\u2019s economic diversification strategy \u2013 highlighted the city\u2019s progress within the tourism sector, and UTM&#8217;s commitment to academic excellence and industry collaboration<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over 200 academics and tourism and hospitality professionals drawn from 26 countries and regions recently gathered in Macao for the annual conference of the Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA), with UTM acting as co-host. APTA\u2019s meeting is one of the region\u2019s largest annual events for promotion of top-notch research in the tourism and hospitality sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The APTA 2024 Conference took place at the Galaxy International Convention Center from 3 to 5 July, marking the conference series\u2019 return to the city, after an edition was first held in Macao in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis conference holds special significance as it marks the first major international event that we have hosted since our recent renaming as UTM,\u201d said Dr. Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan, Rector of UTM, during her welcoming remarks at the conference\u2019s opening ceremony. She referred to the change from Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) to Macao University of Tourism (UTM) last April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe partnership between UTM and APTA underscores the strategic importance of education and research in advancing the tourism and hospitality sectors,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Vong also stressed UTM\u2019s continuous commitment to academic excellence and collaboration with industry partners, aligning with Macao\u2019s \u201c1+4\u201d economic diversification strategy. This strategy aims to develop the city as a hub for integrated tourism and leisure while fostering the growth of four emerging industries: big health, modern finance, high technology, and conventions and exhibitions, sports, commerce, and trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The APTA 2024 Conference offered a range of discussions and panel sessions covering topics including destination management, tourism marketing, consumer behaviour, cultural and heritage management, lodging management, and tourism and hospitality education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Digitalisation and sustainability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prof. Yeong-Hyeon Hwang, Chairman of APTA, highlighted the significance of the conference returning to Macao after a decade-plus hiatus. \u201cMacao has shown remarkable progress in the tourism sector, making it meaningful to bring the conference back to the city,\u201d he stated. \u201cIt provided an opportunity to show our delegates the development of Macao&#8217;s tourism and hospitality industry, and how it can be sustained at an advanced level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The decision to co-host the event with UTM was due to the University&#8217;s strong reputation, he said. \u201cUTM is famous for its education system and [its team\u2019s] passion for nurturing young people so they can become tourism professionals, so it\u2019s natural for us to work together with UTM to organise this conference,\u201d added Prof. Hwang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In relation to this year\u2019s conference, he identified two major themes: digitalisation and environmental sustainability. \u201cDigitalisation is a key issue in all fields, including tourism. Many of the papers presented focused on digitalisation, robotics, new technologies,\u201d and other contemporary matters, the scholar explained. \u201cAnother important theme was the environment \u2013 how we can improve the sustainability of tourism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The APTA 2024 Conference was supported by various organisations, with Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), an integrated resort operator in Macao, serving as the principal sponsor. Underlining the support for the event, Mr. Francis Lui, Vice Chairman of GEG, attended the opening ceremony with other company representatives. Mr. Lui is also Vice-Chair of the UTM Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the opening ceremony, Mr. Buddy Lam, Director of Corporate Affairs of GEG, highlighted the event\u2019s contribution to advancing tourism education in the city. \u201cHosting this conference holds special significance for GEG as an industry stakeholder,\u201d Mr. Lam emphasised. \u201cIt amplifies our efforts to foster Macao\u2019s \u2018tourism + MICE\u2019 and \u2018tourism + education\u2019 synergies, highlighting UTM\u2019s core strengths and Macao\u2019s position as a hub for tourism education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2018Happiness designers\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>APTA, a globally recognised organisation, is dedicated to advancing high-quality research in tourism and hospitality, with UTM being one of its institutional members. The organisation has been holding annual conferences since 1995. The group also produces the Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, a scholarly publication that showcases cutting-edge research in this field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The annual APTA gathering offers experts from around the world an opportunity to develop \u201ca common understanding\u201d of the latest tourism trends, Prof. Hwang said. \u201cThe APTA conference is all about how we can develop tourism together in a positive direction. The topics we cover help us understand where we are going\u201d in that regard, \u201cand how to make tourism more sustainable,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scholar also highlighted the importance of pioneering research to advance tourism and hospitality practices. \u201cWe often think of ourselves as \u2018happiness designers\u2019,\u201d he noted. \u201cTourism is about the happiness of people, and our aim is to create an environment for tourists to be happy in any destination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the attendees who shared their latest insights during the three-day conference was Mr. Terrence Qiu Liangwei, a PhD candidate at UTM. He highlighted the significance of participating in academic events like the APTA conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe gain insights into current trends and what others are working on, while also having the opportunity to share our research and receive valuable feedback,\u201d Mr. Qiu remarked. \u201cIt also allows us to expand our network by connecting with scholars and students from different institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He expressed gratitude for opportunities he has had, in terms of either attending or helping to organise academic conferences, during his PhD studies at UTM. \u201cUTM provides abundant academic resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Editor: UTM Public Relations Team<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key themes discussed at the APTA 2024 Conference included digitalisation and environmental sustainability. The conference \u2013 aligning with Macao\u2019s economic diversification strategy \u2013 highlighted the city\u2019s progress within the tourism [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":12117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,136],"tags":[3157,3158,3160,2679,3159,1267,69,808,2887,400,2861,122,2859,1702,3161],"class_list":["post-12111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knowledge","category-main_headline","tag-apta","tag-apta-2024-conference","tag-asia-pacific-tourism-association","tag-conference","tag-digitalisation","tag-environmental-sustainability","tag-fanny-vong","tag-galaxy-entertainment","tag-galaxy-international-convention-center","tag-macao","tag-macao-university-of-tourism","tag-mice","tag-utm","tag-vong-chuk-kwan","tag-yeong-hyeon-hwang","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"views":1565,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12111"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12120,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12111\/revisions\/12120"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}