The 10th Tourism Education Student Summit, co-hosted by UTM and Melco Resorts & Entertainment, brought together industry leaders, academics, and students at Studio City to exchange ideas and explore the latest trends in tourism. The event serves as a dynamic platform for knowledge-sharing and talent development, reinforcing the connection between education and real-world industry needs.
This year’s summit, themed “Tourism in the Digital Age: Embracing Change and Innovation”, showcased 45 exceptional undergraduate and postgraduate theses and projects. Topics ranged from hotel and event management to cultural heritage, tourism marketing, and technological innovation, reflecting the breadth and depth of today’s tourism development.
Industry experts were invited to serve as panel members, offering students valuable feedback while gaining insights into emerging research. Joseph Sampermans, General Manager of Morpheus Hotel, underscored the summit’s broader value as “a good bridge” between academia and the industry.
“This annual summit brings awareness and relevance,” he said. “It allows both sides — students and academics, as well as hospitality professionals and entrepreneurs — to meet and exchange ideas.”
He praised the quality of student work, calling it well-researched and dynamic, with potential long-term benefits for the sector.
Platform for academic and talent exchange
Andy Lio, General Manager of Capella at Galaxy Macau, and a UTM alumnus, also attended the summit as a panel member and stressed its role in keeping industry professionals informed.
“Having the opportunity to return to the university and watch students’ presentations really broadens my knowledge,” he said. “Some terms, like ‘City Walk’, were rarely used when I was a student. This event helps me stay in touch with new trends.”
Another panel member, Viola Leong, Director of Arts & Culture at MGM, echoed this sentiment, applauding the originality of topics, including one paper that examined how sexual orientation influences the effectiveness of marketing strategies. “It enhanced my understanding of ‘tourism +’ knowledge. I’ve learned a lot from the summit,” she noted.
Beyond academic exchange, Leong highlighted the recruitment potential of the event. “We are hiring new talent—new people from the university. It's a good way for us to try to understand what they have learned from the university,” she added.
Student talent on display
In this year’s event, six students were recognised with Best Paper Awards for theirperformance. Among them was Greens Yang Tianze, a Year 4 student in UTM’s Cultural and Heritage Management programme. His research explored the spiritual and communal significance of Earth God (Tudigong) worship in Macao, linking intangible cultural heritage to community well-being.
The academic training involved in preparing this paper helped him develop new skills and prepare for postgraduate study, as he will pursue a master’s degree in historic preservation planning at Cornell University in the United States. “This award is a recognition of my capability,” he added.
Another award recipient, Gigi Wong Tsz Lam, a Year 4 student in Tourism Business Management at UTM, focused her thesis on the motivations and interactions of cosplayers. “Cosplay tourism is still a new concept [but] it’s a big opportunity because it's currently expanding,” she noted.
Her biggest takeaway from the experience was a boost in confidence, having interviewed 20 cosplayers for the project and presented her findings in a public setting. “We could use this as an opportunity to raise our skills, because it’s not every day that we get to speak in front of professionals outside the classroom,” she said.
In addition to UTM students, participants from several institutions across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area also presented their work. These included Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Zhuhai College of Science and Technology.
Liang Huiqing, a Year 4 student from the Zhongshan Institute of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, returned to the summit this year as a presenter after attending in 2024. His thesis focused on the communication strategy and effect of original music in tourism.
“The summit allows me to meet a diverse group of outstanding students, professors, and professionals,” he said. “It’s a valuable opportunity for personal and academic growth.”
This year’s summit also featured Dean and Chair Professor Kaye Chon from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as the academic keynote speaker, and Chin Lee, Vice President, Global Information Technology Engagement at Melco Resorts & Entertainment as the industry keynote speaker.