IFTM hosts 2023 edition of International Tourism and Retail Service Management Conference to Explore the Synergies between Tourism and Retail in an Uncertain Era
The Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) is proud to host “The 5th International Tourism and Retail Service Management Conference (TRMC2023)” on 19 and 20 October. The conference will be held in a hybrid format, featuring in-person presentations as well as online streaming sessions. Importantly, this marks IFTM's first face-to-face academic conference since the pandemic. With the theme “Strengthening the synergies between tourism and retail in an uncertain era,” the conference aims to bring together scholars and industry professionals from around the world to discuss and explore forward-thinking ideas, challenges, and opportunities in these industries, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Since its inaugural conference in 2018, IFTM has been dedicated to fostering academic dialogue and collaboration in the fields of tourism and retail management. The TRMC Consortium, which now includes several prestigious global institutions at the forefront of research and knowledge, focuses on the nexus of tourism and retail services. This year's conference is being organised in partnership with five other higher education institutions, namely Breda University of Applied Science, in the Netherlands; Hangzhou City University and Nankai University, in China; Sunway University, in Malaysia; and University of South Carolina, in the United States.
Distinguished keynote speakers at TRMC2023 include Prof. Hanqin Qiu, Dean and Distinguished Professor from Hangzhou City University; Prof. Rich Harrill, Research Professor and Director of International Tourism Research Institute at College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, University of South Carolina; and Prof. Lisa Wan, Associate Professor and Acting Director from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The conference also boasts influential industry speakers such as Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office; Mr. James Guntrip, Vice President of Store Operations in Macao for luxury retailer DFS; Mr. Edison Chen, Vice President of Destination Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Trip.com Group; and Dr. Esra Calvert, President of a tourism consultancy.
With approximately 90 participants attending both in-person and online, TRMC2023 offers a diverse range of discussion topics. These include the study of the tourist shopping experience, the impact of social media and marketing strategies, as well as the latest developments and trends in AI applications within the tourism and retail sectors.
IFTM is a leading tertiary institution in tourism and hospitality education and creates a venue for international academic conferences in its fields of expertise. Such conferences further extend IFTM’s global network of partners and enhance IFTM’s exposure in the academic world.
