UNWTO and PolyU Hosted China Tourism and China Hotel-Branding Forum 2013
Hosted by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and PolyU, and organised by the SHTM, the China Tourism and China Hotel-Branding Forum 2013 (CTHF 2013) was held on 16-18 May at Hotel ICON, Hong Kong.
The conference was officially opened by Dr Che-woo Lui, Chairman of the K. Wah Group, Mr Martin Craigs, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Mr Nicholas Yang, Executive Vice President of PolyU, and Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM. Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), addressed the audience by video.
Taking the theme "New Tourism, New Strategies", CTHF 2013 set out to explore the many opportunities and potential challenges that have emerged from the rapid progress of Chinese tourism.
Twenty-five undergraduate students from the SHTM formed the Organising Committee. With support from the School's faculty members, the committee was in charge of the whole event from planning to staging, which provided an invaluable opportunity for the students to show their abilities and created a unique experience for delegates.
With three tracks, entitled "Contemporary (Live the Moment)", "Transform (Move with the Times)" and "Future (Fly to Our Bright Future)", CTHF 2013 has attracted delegates from a range of backgrounds and countries. The keynote and panel sessions covered a wide variety of topics including:
- Emerging Issues in China Tourism
- Sustainable Development of China Hospitality and Tourism
- Global Trends in Tourism and Their
Implications for China Tourism
- Human Resources and Educational Development for China's Tourism Industry
- Hospitality and Tourism Issues in Hong Kong
- Social Media and Tourism
- Hotel Industry Development in China
- Strategic Development of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry in China
The prominent international and local scholars and experts who were invited to be speakers at the Forum included:
- Mr
Raymond Tong, Executive Director and Vice President of Development - Greater China, Accor
- Professor Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy
- Professor Zhang Guangrui, Director of the Tourism Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
- Mr Michael Li, Executive Director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners
- Mr Lauri Tuomi, Director and Vice President of the Research and Development Centre and Best Western Hotel Haaga,
HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
- Mr James Lu, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Hotels Association
- Dr Che-woo Lui, Chairman of K. Wah Group
- Mr Martin Craigs, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
- Mr Steve Hood, Senior Vice President of Research and Founding Director of Smith Travel Research, Inc., SHARE Centre
- Mr Richard Adie, General Manager of Statler Hotel, Cornell University's teaching
hotel
A resounding success, the Forum was closed by Dean Kaye Chon. The SHTM considers hosting the event as one way of encouraging its industry partners, educators and researchers to collaborate closely in furthering the development of the hospitality and tourism industry in China.
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