More than 500 delegates from 37 countries and territories gathered in Hong Kong to attend the 9th Asia-Pacific Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (APacCHRIE) Conference organised by the SHTM on 2-5 June 2011.

The Conference was officially opened at Hotel ICON by Mr Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board; Mr Stanley Yen, Chairman of the Landis Management Company Limited; Ms Cynthia Deale, President of the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE); Professor Manat Chaisawat, President of APacCHRIE; Professor Timothy W. Tong, PolyU President; Dr Andy Nazarechuk, Dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (Singapore Campus); and Professor Kaye Chon, Dean of the SHTM.

Themed "Hospitality and Tourism Education: From a Vision to an Icon", the Conference provided delegates and the international hospitality and tourism community with an interdisciplinary platform on which to exchange information, ideas and views, and to consolidate research efforts and industry experiences in the field. Together with the APacCHRIE Youth Conference 2011, it stood as an iconic academic milestone of the industry.

Addressing the delegates at the Opening Ceremony, Professor Timothy Tong, PolyU President, recognised the significant contribution that APacCHRIE has made in the growth of the industry in the Asia-Pacific region over recent years. At the same time, he urged everyone to look ahead, anticipate and respond to the needs of the industry. Dean Kaye Chon emphasised the importance of developing Asian leadership in the hospitality and tourism industry in his keynote speech "Hospitality and Tourism Education in Asia Pacific Region: From a Vision to an Icon". Mr Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, provided insights into promotional strategies for Hong Kong and how the industry could work together to create and deliver experiences for visitors. Mr Stanley Yen, Chairman of the Landis Management Company Limited, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Hospitality and Tourism in Asia" in which he placed great emphasis on the importance of educators constantly adapting education to meet the needs of the ever-evolving industry.

Renowned academics and industry leaders attended various presentation sessions covering a variety of topics including "Catering, Dining and the Foodservice Industry", "Education: Practices and Prospects", "Human Resources Issues in Hospitality and Tourism Industry", "Information Technology and its Influences", "MICE and Event Tourism", "Operational and Management Issues of Hotel Industry", "Sustainability and Social Responsibility", "Service Quality and Customer Relationship Management", "Tourism Planning and Destination Marketing" and other important issues.

• MCI Hong Kong
• Francesca Limited
• Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong
• Finessa Hong Kong Limited
• Taylor and Francis Asia Pacific
• The Mira Hong Kong
• The Upper House

Founded in Hong Kong during 2002 by SHTM Dean Kaye Chon, APacCHRIE is the regional advocate of hospitality and tourism education for schools, colleges and universities that offer programmes in hotel and restaurant management, foodservice management and culinary arts. It has played an instrumental role in promoting academic and research exchanges in the Asia-Pacific region over the years.