PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management
Self-Service Technologies: The Next Frontier in Hotel Service
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | March 29, 2022
Self-service technologies (SSTs) have simplified many aspects of everyday life. However, their relatively recent introduction means that the pros and cons of SST adoption in the hotel industry are still being explored. The potential advantages of SSTs notwithstanding, hotels in China seem to have some reservations, say Professor Kam Hung of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and her co-researcher. Without a clear understanding of how preferences for SSTs over human staff are formed, hoteliers are perhaps right to be wary. Moving beyond previous work, this ambitious study integrates indivi...
Money or Miles for Frequent Flyers?
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | February 25, 2022
“CANCELLED”: The word no passenger wants to see on an airport display board. Failing to appease disgruntled clientele can seriously damage customer relationships. Dodging the kickback of service failures is therefore supremely important, especially when customers have already pledged their allegiance to a company – as have frequent flyers. But how should loyal customers be compensated? In an important recent study, Dr YooHee Hwang and Dr Lisa Gao of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and their co-author explored the best ways to regain customer loyalty after a service failure. The u...
Could Robots Breathe New “Life” Into the Tourism Industry?
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | January 26, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tourism and hospitality industry hard, making employees and travellers alike more wary of close human interaction. Could robots and other artificial intelligence (AI) technologies be the answer? To tackle this controversial question, Professor Seongseop Kim, Dr Youngjoon Choi, and Ph.D. student Mr Frank Badu-Baiden of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and their co-researchers conducted a timely online study comparing human- and robot-staffed hotels. The study provides fascinating insights into how the pandemic has changed tourists’ preferences and offe...
Light at the End of the Tunnel
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | November 19, 2021
Tourism around the world is reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Hong Kong’s once vibrant industry is no exception. The path to recovery is unclear. In such extreme circumstances, is it even possible for tourism businesses to plan for the future? The answer is yes, say Ms Hanyuan Zhang and Professor Haiyan Song of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University – but only if we can predict the unpredictable. In a study offering new hope for an industry on its knees, they and two researchers developed a pioneering method of forecasting tourism demand in times of crisis. Crisis br...
The Art of Upselling
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | September 17, 2021
Online upselling is an ever more popular way for hotel companies to bring in revenue. However, it remains unclear whether online upselling complements or replaces in-person strategies such as front-desk upselling. In an important exploratory study, Professor Basak Denizci Guillet of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University sought to answer this question. Her findings generate crucial insights for hotels in volatile and challenging times, while also providing an “upselling model for the industry that considers the complexities of today’s multifaceted ecommerce environment”. Hotels can ...
A Table for One, Please!
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | June 30, 2021
Solo diners represent one of the fastest-growing markets in the restaurant sector, but little is known about the factors that influence their menu choices. Do solo diners express their uniqueness through their selection of dishes, or do they seek a sense of belonging? This is just one of the questions answered by Dr YooHee Hwang of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and co-authors in a study that sheds light on the interplay between power, food choices, and crowding in the solo dining context. As restauranteurs seek new ways to tap into this lucrative and rapidly expanding market of din...
It Takes More Than Just Food, Restaurateurs Advised
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | December 23, 2020
21 December 2020 - Ghanaian restaurateurs need to improve food quality and hygiene, and give diners opportunities to socialise, find Professor Sam Kim, Ph.D. students Frank Badu-Baiden and Munhyang Oh of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, along with a co-author in recently published empirical work. The researchers emphasise that food is a vital component of the tourism experience, but little attention has been paid by food tourism researchers to destinations outside of the West and Asia. Their findings offer important practical guidance for destination marketers in Africa and other devel...
A Glass Ceiling to Shatter
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | October 22, 2020
Efforts to shatter the “glass ceiling” and promote women’s equality in the hospitality and tourism workplace must start in universities, according to Professor Basak Denizci Guillet, Ph.D. graduate Dr Anna Pavesi, Professor Cathy Hsu and Dr Karin Weber of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The researchers note that statistics paint a bleak picture of women’s involvement at the upper levels of the hospitality and tourism industry, both in Hong Kong and worldwide. Although progress is being made in closing the gender gap, social and institutional barriers continue to prevent talent...
