On the afternoon of April 19, Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Walter & Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management, delivered a lecture at Chengdu University (CDU). The event facilitated an insightful discussion on the present and future of tourism and hotel management education.

Vice President, Peng Xiaolin met with Prof. Kaye Chon and introduced CDU's basic situation, including its unique "one-stop" student service center. The service center's management philosophy and innovation in services were explained. Prof. Kaye Chon commended CDU for its dynamic development, talent cultivation philosophy, and intelligent services it provides.

Prof. Kaye Chon gave a lecture on "Asia's Century of Hospitality and Tourism." He shared insights from his career and explored the prospects of the international hospitality and tourism industry in Asia. He expressed his hopes for young students to take on the responsibility of contributing to the industry, propelling economic growth, promoting their national culture, and serving the well-being of the people. Additionally, he encouraged students to harbor dreams, maintain passion, and hold firm faith as they bravely step onto the world stage to become future leaders.

In the industry dialogue session, Prof. Kaye Chon, along with Zhu Dan, Dean of School of Tourism and Culture Industry, Zhang Gu, President of Yuan Huanxian Research Association in Sichuan Province and former Director of Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Summer Cho, General Manager of Ritz-Carlton Chengdu, and Guo Youwei, General Manager of MGallery Chengdu, discussed future visions for the tourism and hospitality industry. Topics such as the intelligent construction of tourism and hotel management in the AI era and the professional training and curriculum for tourism talent were deliberated, offering unique insights and ideas for the integrated development of higher education with the industry.

This was the first lecture in the "Dean's Special Guest Lecture" series organized by the School of Tourism and Culture Industry of CDU. On January 25, 2022, the School of Tourism and Culture Industry of CDU formally established a partnership with the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of PolyU.