The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong Limited (CTS HOLDINGS HK) have formed a strategic partnership, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and scholarship donation agreement. The two parties will join hands to nurture tech talent and promote the application of cutting-edge technology in the tourism industry, propelling the development of technology-empowered tourism through industry-academia-research collaboration.
Witnessed by Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President; Dr Miranda Lou, PolyU Executive Vice President; Mr Wang Haimin, Chairman of CTS HOLDINGS HK; and Mr Fan Yunjun, General Manager of CTS HOLDINGS HK, the MoU and donation agreement were signed by Dr Laura Lo, PolyU Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement), and Mr Jian Yi, Deputy General Manager of CTS HOLDINGS HK at a signing ceremony held on the PolyU campus on 13 November. Representatives from the PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management and Faculty of Engineering, alongside CTS executives and other esteemed guests, also attended to celebrate the partnership.
The partnership brings together the unique strengths of both parties, including PolyU’s academic and research prowess in hotel and tourism management and various emerging fields, as well as CTS HOLDINGS HK’s comprehensive expertise across the whole industrial chain. Both parties will explore the application of frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), metaverse and blockchain in the tourism sector with the aim of enhancing travel experiences and customer service.
In addition, in support of talent cultivation, CTS HOLDINGS HK has generously established the “CTS HOLDINGS HK Digital Intelligence and Tourism Scholarship” at PolyU. The Scholarship is set to support the University in nurturing talents with both expertise in hotel and tourism management, and knowledge in new technologies including computing, AI and big data analysis. CTS HOLDINGS HK will also offer internship opportunities for students, equipping them with practical experience to face evolving challenges in the industry.
The partnership marks a significant milestone for PolyU and CTS HOLDINGS HK in their ongoing commitment to the evolution and growth of Hong Kong’s digital tourism industry. Both parties envision that the collaboration will create new value and opportunities for society.