The public University of Macau (UM) hosted a smart tourism symposium on Friday, bringing together scholars and industry leaders to discuss innovation and development in the sector.
Titled “Smart Tourism Symposium 2026: Innovation and Impact”, the one-day event was held as part of the university’s 45th anniversary celebrations.
The event was sponsored by the University of Macau Development Foundation (UMDF), organised by the UM Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management (APAEM), and co-organised by the university’s Faculty of Business Administration (FBA).
Speaking at the opening, UM Vice Rector Ge Wei said the symposium aimed to serve as a platform for exchange between academia and industry, supporting national development strategies and promoting the integration of digital technologies into the real economy. He added that such exchanges could contribute to the sustainable development of Macau’s tourism sector.
The symposium featured three themed presentations and two roundtable discussions. Among the speakers, Rob Law (羅振雄), deputy director of APAEM, introduced the academy’s research focus and elaborated on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism and hospitality.
Meanwhile, Li Gang, professor at the School of Information Technology at Deakin University in Australia, discussed how AI and large language models are reshaping hotel competitiveness, while Fiona He, general manager of the Marketing Department of Shiji Group, a company based in the Chinese mainland, shared industry practices in using digital tools to enhance operational efficiency and service quality.
The first roundtable discussion, moderated by FBA Prof. Davis Fong Ka Chio, brought together executives from Macau’s six integrated resort operators – MGM China, Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), Sands China, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Wynn Macau, and SJM Resorts.
Discussions focused on smart tourism applications, non-gaming development and industry trends over the next five years.
Meanwhile, the second roundtable, moderated by Anthony Wong Ip Kin, another professor at FBA, gathered academics and industry experts to examine the balance between technological innovation and human interaction, as well as the application of research outcomes in the tourism market.
The University of Macau’s (UM) Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management (APAEM) Deputy Director Rob Law (羅振雄) addresses Friday’s “Smart Tourism Symposium 2026: Innovation and Impact” on the public university’s campus in Hengqin. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
