The Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) collaborated with resort operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) to host the 7th annual Tourism Education Student Summit (TEd Summit) yesterday, the public higher education institution said in a statement.
The one-day event, the statement noted, was held at JW Marriott Macau Hotel, where 47 IFTM students graduating from the institute’s bachelor’s degree programmes presented their research work to industry leaders and the community. The event was also live-streamed for audiences in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and other regions.
The statement noted that the annual event offers a platform for IFTM’s outstanding students to “engage with the industry in a discussion about the future development of tourism and hospitality” in Macau and the GBA.
The GBA comprises the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau and the nine municipalities of Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai in Guangdong province.
Through events of this kind, the statement pointed out, strategic stakeholders can “preview the next generation of future hospitality and tourism leaders, who have their fingers on the pulse of the Macau tourism industry”.
The TEd Summit also had three keynote speakers: Prof. Bao Jigang from Sun Yat-sen University, GEG Executive Vice President of Hotel & MICE Operations James Koratzopoulos, and Banyan Tree Macau Hotel Manager Joanne Chan.
The statement said that Prof Bao gave the academic keynote address on his well-known tourism poverty alleviation project in Azheke, Yunnan province. Meanwhile, Koratzopoulos, detailed his over 28-year-long experience in hotel operations and food & beverage services. He also introduced GEG’s new Cotai projects.
Chan, who the statement underlined is listed in Forbes as being the “first local person to hold the position of senior manager of a five-star hotel in Macau”, also spoke of her decades-long experience of hotel operation and management and her international perspectives.
GEG representatives from the resort operator’s Human Resources Department also presented “Tips for Job Searching” during the event, according to the statement.
This handout photo provided by the Macao Insitute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) yesterday shows attendees and participants in the 7th annual Tourism Education Student Summit (TEd Summit) event, which was held at JW Marriott Macau Hotel, Galaxy Macau, in Cotai
