UM hosts Smart Tourism Symposium

MACAU, May 8 - In celebration of its 45th anniversary, the University of Macau (UM) hosted the ‘Smart Tourism Symposium 2026: Innovation and Impact’ today (8 May). The symposium was sponsored by the University of Macau Development Foundation, organised by the UM Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management (APAEM), and co-organised by the UM Faculty of Business Administration (FBA). Centred on the theme of ‘Innovation and Impact’, the symposium brought together internationally renowned scholars and senior executives from the tourism and hospitality industry. Topics such as technological innovation, industrial transformation and upgrading, and industry-academia collaboration in tourism were discussed.

Speaking at the event, UM Vice Rector Ge Wei said that the symposium was a key academic event in the university’s anniversary celebrations. It also serves as an important exchange platform to support the national 15th Five-Year Plan, advance digital and intelligent technologies to empower the real economy, and foster communication between industry and academia. He also expressed hope that cross-sectoral exchange at the symposium would inject new impetus into the innovation and development of smart tourism in Macao and support the sustainable upgrading of the city’s tourism industry.

The symposium featured three themed presentations and two roundtable discussions. The three themed presentations explored promising opportunities in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) from different perspectives. Rob Law, deputy director of APAEM, introduced the research areas of APAEM and shared insights into AI applications in tourism and hospitality. Li Gang, professor in the School of Information Technology at Deakin University in Australia, examined how AI is reshaping hotel competitiveness in the age of large language models and the transformation of the hospitality industry. Fiona He, general manager of the Marketing Department at Shiji Group, discussed industry practices in using digital tools to optimise hotel operational efficiency and improve service quality.

The first roundtable discussion was moderated by Davis Fong, professor in FBA. It featured senior executives from six local integrated resorts (IRs), including Han Tian, Chief Operating Officer of MGM China Holdings Limited; Buddy Lam, Director of Corporate Affairs of Galaxy Entertainment Group; DeVonne Iao, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Resort Marketing of Sands China Ltd.; Helen Wu, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Melco Resorts & Entertainment; Zoe Zou, Chief Marketing Officer of Resort Marketing at Wynn Macau Limited; and Gerard Walker, Chief Hospitality Officer of SJM Resorts, S.A.. The discussions covered three key topics: the application and challenges of smart tourism in IRs, the development of non-gaming elements, and tourism development over the next five years.

The second roundtable discussion, moderated by Anthony Wong Ip Kin, professor in FBA, featured four industry experts and scholars, including Huang Xin, founder of Guangzhou Wintour Information Technology; Arthur Lau, multi-property general manager of Foshan Marriott Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott Foshan; Hou Yuansi, associate professor in FBA; and Wang Shan, associate professor in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at UM. The panellists held in-depth discussions on issues such as balancing technological innovation and human touch, translating tourism technology research into market applications, and the practical applications of AI in the tourism industry.

As one of the key events celebrating UM’s 45th anniversary, the symposium established a high-quality platform for dialogue between industry and academia. Attendees reviewed the status quo and challenges of smart tourism development in Macao, and offered suggestions for industrial upgrading. The event showcased UM’s influence, relevance, and contribution to Macao’s tourism and economic development.

The symposium was attended by UM Vice Rector Michael Hui, practitioners from integrated resorts and the wider tourism and hospitality industry, as well as students and faculty from various higher education institutions.