Students from the EVT3003 Event Technology specialized course of the BSc in Tourism Event Management programme participated in an educational visit to the 29th Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF). The primary objective was to examine Indoor Positioning System (IPS) applications in large-scale events, facilitated by Gold Berry Information Technology Limited.
Course lecturer Joe Lam led the group of students to the company's booth at the exhibition where Director Mr. Ricky Sou provided a comprehensive overview of their indoor positioning technology implementation. Mr. Sou addressed both the technical aspects and practical challenges of deploying such systems in expansive venues and shared generously with students about the technology and his experience through open, lively and interactive discussions.
The session included a technical demonstration of the positioning system's core components, including beacon placement strategies and the real-time tracking interface. Mr. Sou emphasized the technical challenges they encountered, particularly in managing data flow and minimizing latency in high-traffic environments.
In addition, students engaged in a practical session where they tested the system's mobile application, observing its functionality across different areas of the event venue. The discussion covered several key aspects of indoor positioning systems such as system accuracy and real-time tracking capabilities. Student participation was notable, with questions focusing on practical applications and implementation challenges. The visit concluded with an overview of potential applications in various event scenarios, providing students with insights for their future course assignments. Mr. Sou also shared the latest research development about IPS in their company.
This field trip successfully demonstrated the practical application of event technology concepts covered in the course curriculum, while offering students direct exposure to current industry solutions from an organizer's perspective. In the same course, students are engaged in various learning activities such as floor plan management and crowd-controlling simulations. In future evening planning, artificial intelligence (AI) is also on our students' studying list. Course instructor Joe Lam added that “with the continued rise of the technology, it is important for students who are learning to be future event professionals to embrace and use it responsibly”.