CUHK SHTM hosts the “NextGen Tourism Summit: Leading the Experience Economy”
On 22 November 2025, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School successfully hosted the “NextGen Tourism Summit: Leading the Experience Economy.” The event brought together leading scholars and industry leaders to explore research visions, educational innovation, industry collaboration, and strategic responses to the experience economy paradigm.
The summit was graced by opening remarks from Professor Jiang Liwen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (External Affairs) of CUHK; Mrs Angelina Cheung, JP, Commissioner for Tourism, Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; Professor Zhou Lin, dean of CUHK Business School; and Professor Robert Li, Director of SHTM.
During the event, Professor Robert Li announced the launch of MSc in Leadership for Experience Economy (LEE) in the 2026-2027 academic year. As the first of its kind in Asia Pacific, the programme aims to cultivate versatile leaders with inspirational leadership, change management capability, investment insights and technological innovation competence.
In his address, Professor Li emphasised that the hospitality and tourism sectors, rich in experience-design expertise, should share their knowledge and collaborate with industries beyond tourism. He noted that as AI is reshaping the world, business must adeptly integrate technology with empathy to create meaningful experiences for customers and employees.
Three distinguished keynote speakers shared forward-looking insights: Mrs Vivian Cheung, CEO of Airport Authority Hong Kong, recognised the summit’s timeliness as Hong Kong seeks to redefine its tourism landscape through enhanced visitor experiences; Mr Benjamin Vuchot, Executive Director and CEO of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, stated that success in luxury hospitality now lies in “intangible moments of genuine human connection and warmth”; and Mr Dennis Chang, Executive Vice President and Division President, Greater China, Mastercard, shared data-driven insights showing that consumer spending is shifting from shopping to experiences, with major events emerging as powerful drivers of destination spending.
Supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong Hotels Association, Hyatt Regency Shatin Hotel and The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, the summit served as a valuable platform for in-depth dialogue between scholars and practitioners from Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Participants agreed that the time is ripe to advance human-centred applications of emerging technologies such as AI, supporting Hong Kong’s “Tourism is Everywhere” initiative and the rapid expansion of the mainland’s cultural tourism sector.
With this landmark event as a starting point, CUHK SHTM looks forward to continuing to leverage its innovative strengths in research and education, leading the way toward the future of the experience economy.