News

Associate Director of RCDTT delivered keynote speech at the 2024 UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook (18th Edition)

On 18 Oct 2024, Prof. Mimi Li, associate director at RCDTT, was invited to be a keynote speaker at the 2024 UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook (18th Edition) organized by the World Tourism Organization, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Guilin Municipal People’s Government, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s Department of Culture and Tourism. This global forum stands as a strategic platform for stakeholders to collaborate and develop practices that will ensure a resilient tourism industry, attracting around 120 experts and representatives from various tourism associations, government commissions, businesses and universities.   During this event, Prof Li captivated the audience with insights into the prevailing trends of inbound educational tourism in China. She discussed the potential of leveraging educational tourism to catalyze the rejuvenation of China’s inbound tourism. Furthermore, she expounded on strategies to blend educational and touristic elements within tourism products, including the strategic use of advanced technologies in tourism attractions.

Public Lecture delivered by Professor Sara Dolnicar

On 17 Oct 2024, Prof. Sara Dolnicar, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow, School of Business, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland (UQ), delivered a Public Lecture titled  "Can tourism businesses operate in more environmentally sustainable ways and save money without undermining guest satisfaction?"   Professor Dolnicar discussed the lack of progress in research that offers solutions for the tourism industry in terms of making operations more environmentally sustainable and then presented an alternative approach that can be taken, which involves deploying scientifically proven behaviour change interventions that entice tourists to behave in more sustainable ways without undermining their satisfaction. Many of these interventions even have tourism businesses money. The role of automatic impact measurement were discussed also, along with the urgent need for large-scale sector-wide change.   During the lecture, a Q&A session was held where students and scholars shared their thoughts on sustainable tourism. Participants engaged in a lively discussion, expressing their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the field. This allowed for a rich exchange of ideas, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable practices in tourism and encouraging collaborative thinking on potential solutions.   About Prof. Sara Dolnicar: Prof. Sara Dolnicar is a Professor at UQ Business School (The University of Queensland). She develops and experimentally tests theory-informed practical measures that trigger pro-environmental consumer behaviour. Her research is driven by curiosity and the desire to create meaningful change. Prof. Dolnicar has published more than 300 papers and won more than 30 awards for her work, including a prestigious Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship, the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Distinguished Researcher Award, and she has been named a Slovenian Ambassador of Science, the highest honour the Republic of Slovenia bestows on expatriate Slovenian researchers in recognition of global excellence, impact, and knowledge transfer. Prof. Dolnicar is currently the Co-Editor in Chief of Annals of Tourism Research, one of the leading international scientific journals in the field of tourism.

Research Seminar delivered by Professor Sara Dolnicar

On 15 Oct 2024, Prof. Sara Dolnicar, ARC Australian Laureate Fellow, School of Business, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland (UQ), delivered a research seminar on "Academic publishing – Past, Present and Future" to faculty members from SHTM and RCDTT, as well as our PhD students. Prof. Dolnicar discussed the developments in academic publishing over the past few decades, pointed to the dangers of the current system and offered advice to authors from the perspective of an editor-in-chief. There were ample opportunity for questions and discussion.   About Prof. Sara Dolnicar: Prof. Sara Dolnicar is a Professor at UQ Business School (The University of Queensland). She develops and experimentally tests theory-informed practical measures that trigger pro-environmental consumer behaviour. Her research is driven by curiosity and the desire to create meaningful change. Prof. Dolnicar has published more than 300 papers and won more than 30 awards for her work, including a prestigious Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship, the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) Distinguished Researcher Award, and she has been named a Slovenian Ambassador of Science, the highest honour the Republic of Slovenia bestows on expatriate Slovenian researchers in recognition of global excellence, impact, and knowledge transfer. Prof. Dolnicar is currently the Co-Editor in Chief of Annals of Tourism Research, one of the leading international scientific journals in the field of tourism.

PolyU RCDTT and Trip.com Group sign MoU to form a strategic partnership in research

On 13 October 2024, RCDTT and Trip.com Group signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a strategic partnership in research. The MoU establishes a framework for strategic research partnership between RCDTT and Trip.com Group, to enhance our understanding of tourist behavior and travel business operation through digital transformation. The signing ceremony took place successfully at PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) during the IMPACT2024 Conference. Two agreements were signed on 12 October. The first one is the collaborative research agreement with Yunji Technology, and the second one is the MoU with Trip.com Group. The ceremony started with an opening speech by Professor Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education), PolyU. Mr Bowen SUN, Executive Secretary of Trip.com Group Institute, General Manager of Inbound Tourism of Trip.com Group, also expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration and its potential to drive innovation and development in the tourism industry, bringing new vitality to the sector. The agreement with Trip.com Group is signed by Professor Haiyan SONG, Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), and Mr Bowen SUN. Witnessed by Professor Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education), PolyU; Mr Mak LI , Regional General Manager, Department of Business Development and Government Cooperation of Trip.com Group; Mr Steve HOOD, Chair of RCDTT International Advisory Committee & Senior Vice President of Research for STR; Professor Kaye CHON, Dean and Chair Professor, SHTM, PolyU; Professor Mimi LI, Associate Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT),  Dr Dan WANG, Associate Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), etc. Thank you to everyone who participated in the signing ceremony. RCDTT is excited about the opportunity for collaboration and knowledge exchange with Trip.com Group!

Establishment of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Yunji Technology Hotel Digital Intelligence Joint Innovation Lab

On 13 October 2024, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Yunji Technology (Also named SkyTread Technology Co., Limited) signed a collaborative research agreement to establish the “Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Yunji Technology Hotel Digital Intelligence Joint Innovation Lab”. The joint lab will be managed and led by Professor Haiyan SONG, Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), and Ms Tao ZHI, CEO and Founder of Yunji Technology. The signing ceremony took place successfully at PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) during the IMPACT2024 Conference. Two agreements were signed on 13 October. The first one is the collaborative research agreement with Yunji Technology, and the second one is the MoU with Trip.com. The ceremony started with an opening speech by Professor Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education), PolyU. Professor WONG remarked that “We are not just signing agreements, we are building partnerships between PolyU and different industry partners, highlighting our shared commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation.” The agreement with Yunji Technology is signed by Professor Haiyan SONG and Mr. Yunpeng XIE, Vice President of Yunji Technology Co., Ltd. It was witnessed by Professor Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education), PolyU; Mr. Steve HOOD, Chair of RCDTT International Advisory Committee & Senior Vice President of Research for STR; Professor Kaye CHON, Dean and Chair Professor, SHTM, PolyU; Ms. Tao ZHI, CEO and Founder of Yunji Technology, Prof. Zhaohong BIE, Executive Vice President, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Mr. Xingguo ZHANG, Chairman of the Digital Special Committee of China Hotel Association; Dr. Wu SUN, VP of Hyatt China and CEO of UrCove by HYATT. The following guests were also invited to the ceremony, Mr. Duncan CHIU, Member of the Legislative Council for the Technology and Innovation functional constituency; Dr. Ming GE, Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau; Mr. Patrick LAU, Deputy Executive Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Mr. Zhiming LIU, Former First Class Inspector of the Department of International Cooperation (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs), Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST); Mr. Yonghai DU, General Manager, Green Living and Innovation Division of Hong Kong Productivity Council; Mr. Kai ZHANG, Deputy General Manager, Zhongguancun Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation Center; Ms Yan-jia LIU, General manager of Strategic investment Center at Midea Real Estate Group Co., Ltd; Mr. Bowen SUN, Executive Secretary of Trip.com Group Institute, General Manager of Inbound Tourism of Trip.com Group ; Professor Mimi LI, Associate Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), Dr. Dan WANG, Associate Director of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), etc. A discussion session was held after the ceremony. Ms. Tao ZHI, Mr. Xingguo ZHANG, and Dr. Wu SUN shared their views on digital transformation of the hospitality industry. Guests had the opportunity to share their insights on the latest trends and challenges in the hospitality and technology sectors, while also networking with fellow professionals and experts in the field. A meeting between the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Yunji Technology were then held, to explore the possibility of collaboration between PolyU, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Yunji Technology. In this meeting, Professor BIE remarked that, "Yunji Technology is an ambitious and passionate company founded by outstanding alumni from Xi'an Jiaotong University. The university continues to support its alumni's career growth. This collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University exemplifies the strength of 'strong alliances' and will accelerate the implementation of research outcomes from Xi'an Jiaotong University's Research Institute in Hong Kong. We hope to collaborate in the future to create a promising future for AI and embodied intelligence through partnerships in industry, academia, and research." RCDTT is excited about the research output from the lab and look forward to future collaborations amongst our collaborative partners.

First RCDTT International Advisory Committee Meeting on 12 Oct 2024

On October 12, 2024, the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) held its first International Advisory Committee (IAC) Meeting. This important gathering coincided with the IMPACT2024 Conference co-organized by School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) and Smith Travel Research (STR) SHARE Centre, bringing together leading experts from the global tourism and technology sectors.   Mr. Steve Hood, chair of IAC of RCDTT and co-organizer of the IMPACT2024 conference, welcomed the members and highlighted the importance of digital transformation in enhancing tourism experiences. Following his remarks, Prof. Haiyan Song, director of RCDTT, provided an overview of the RCDTT's recent activities, achievements, and future directions. Committee Members engaged in meaningful discussions, sharing best practices and identifying areas for future research collaboration. They also explored exciting initiatives, including upcoming collaborative research activities, funding applications and publications.   As the meeting concluded, members expressed their gratitude for the diverse insights shared and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a collaborative global network with a strong impactful research track record and look forward to further advancing the RCDTT’s mission.

Prof Haiyan Song’s Participation in the Smart Tourism Forum

On 3 September 2024, Prof. Haiyan Song, Director of RCDTT, was invited to be a Speaker at the Smart Tourism Forum organized by China Mobile Hong Kong, in collaboration with Legislative Council of Functional Constituency (Tourism), the Federation of the Hong Kong Hotel Owners, and the Hong Kong Hotels Association. The forum aimed to promote smart tourism and boost productivity in the sector, attracting around 40 representatives from various tourism businesses, associations and the Tourism Commission. During the event, Prof Song addressed current trends of Digital Transformation in the hospitality and tourism industry. He discussed the applications of smart tourism, including big data analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things in hospitality, and ecological intelligent systems, which deepened attendees' understanding of these innovations. From the discussions, participants agreed that there is an urgent need for the hospitality and tourism industry to go through a digital transformation in order to remain competitive. They also recognized the importance of cross-sector collaboration to develop smart tourism solutions.

Big Congratulations to Our RCDTT-Hotel ICON Grant (2024) Awardees!

We're excited to share the awardees of the Hotel ICON Grant. These teams are at the forefront to drive digital transformation in the hospitality and tourism industry. Let's celebrate their achievements and look forward to the positive impacts their research will bring to us! Name Project Title PI: Prof. Li Mimi Co-I: Dr Xiao Qu, Mr Huang Yuzhou A Multi-modal Generative Intelligent Video Creation Platform for Hotel Content Marketing   PI: Dr Liu Anyu Co-I: Prof Wu Chenguang, Dr Lin Pearl   The Development of a Dynamic Pricing and Forecasting Restaurant Revenue Management Platform PI: Dr Wang Dan Co-I: Prof. Sun Ya-Yen, Prof. Dolnicar Sara   Developing An Automatic Data-Driven Carbon Emission Diagnose System for Hotels: The Hotel ICON Prototype PI: Dr Li Neil Hengyun Co-I: Dr Fan Wenqi, Dr Yu Bruce X. B., Dr Cai Danting   Social Media Marketing Effectiveness Prediction: A Novel Deep Multimodal Fusion Approach

RCDTT signs a research collaborative agreement with Hotel ICON

The Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Hotel ICON Limited have signed a research collaborative agreement, with the aim of supporting interdisciplinary research projects led by RCDTT members across various faculties and departments in PolyU. A collaboration agreement signing ceremony was held on 7 August 2024. The ceremony commenced with an opening remark by Prof. Kaye CHON (Dean and Chair Professor of SHTM, PolyU), followed by speeches from Prof. Haiyan SONG (Director of RCDTT, PolyU) and Mr Ian LEE (General Manager of Hotel ICON). Their speeches exemplified the shared enthusiasm and commitment to drive digital transformation in the hospitality and tourism industry. The Agreement was signed by Prof. Haiyan SONG and Mr Ian LEE, under the witness of Prof. Kaye CHON and Ms Carol CHEUNG (Director of Human Capital of Hotel ICON). Members from RCDTT also attended the signing ceremony, sharing the joy of this significant collaboration. The signing ceremony concluded with a sense of optimism and anticipation for the collaborative projects that lie ahead. Both RCDTT and Hotel ICON look forward to the potential impact of this partnership and the research initiatives from experts in various fields that will benefit Hotel ICON and drive digital transformation in the boarder hospitality and tourism industry.

RCDTT Members Visit Trip.com in Shanghai for Potential Research Collaboration

Our RCDTT members, Prof. Haiyan SONG, Prof. Mimi LI, and Dr HUANG Guoqiong Ivanka recently visited Trip.com Group in Shanghai. During the visit, we explored Trip.com's Museum Wall to explore its history and the Control Room of global business operations. Following this, a meeting was held between RCDTT and Trip.com executives, including Mr. XIAO Quanwu (Senior Director of Big Data & AI and Director of the Laboratory at Trip.com), Mr. SUN Bowen (General Manager of Inbound Tourism & Executive Secretary-General of Trip.com Institute), Mr LI Dongfang (Director of Data and Deputy Director of the Laboratory at Trip.com), Ms. Shumin JIANG (Data Analysis Manager at Trip.com), and Ms CHEN Lingyao (Senior Researcher at Trip.com Institute).   During the meeting, discussions focused on potential collaboration in research related to digital tourism transformation, pro-poor tourism, and ESG in the hospitality and tourism industry. RCDTT and Trip.com Group also explored the possibility of jointly applying for major research grants from the NSFC, RGC, and other major funding agencies in Hong Kong and the mainland of China.   A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaborative partnership is currently being developed to integrate the synergies between the two parties. Additionally, we have invited Mr. Sun Bowen to speak at the SHTM’s Impact2024 conference.   This visit and meeting mark an important step towards fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between RCDTT and Trip.com Group.   We look forward to sharing more news about this partnership!