Dr May Yang is a practitioner-scholar whose work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, hospitality distribution, and digital transformation in tourism and hospitality. She earned her Doctor of Hotel and Tourism Management (D.HTM) from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and holds an MBA from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Her research explores how generative AI, autonomous agents, and digital platforms are transforming hotel distribution, guest experience, managerial decision-making, and professional practice. She is particularly interested in translating AI into practical value for hospitality organisations, with a focus on service innovation, revenue and distribution decision support, and AI education and executive training.

Before entering academia, Dr Yang spent more than a decade in hotel distribution, digital commerce, and commercial strategy, including regional roles with Hyatt Hotels Corporation across Greater China and Asia Pacific. Her industry experience includes collaborations with leading travel platforms such as Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, Trip.com, Meituan, and Klook. She also contributed to Hyatt’s general manager development programme, where she trained future general managers in digital marketing and distribution.

As a member of the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCdTT), Dr Yang integrates her industry experience with applied research, bringing a commercially grounded perspective to the use of AI in hospitality.

• D.HTM, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2024

• MBA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2017

• BA, Xi’an International Studies University, 2011

• CHBA (Certified in Hospitality Business Acumen), 2020