The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate and work together for the sustainable growth of global travel and tourism.

The World Travel and Tourism Council is a body representing the travel and tourism private sector globally. Its members consist of Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading, private sector travel and tourism businesses, who bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making. The WTTC has been the voice of the industry globally and is committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel and tourism sector.

The collaboration is in keeping with the two parties’ common interests in promoting the importance of the sustainable growth of the travel and tourism sector, taking the form of shared information and mutual collaboration. As a Knowledge Partner, the SHTM will provide the WTTC with research data and insight services that will be used by the WTTC team to produce joint research reports or to provide specific industry information for dissemination to the wider WTTC membership. The two organisations will also work together to leverage their respective areas of expertise, to produce insight reports, to provide mutual support for events and conferences such as the WTTC Global Summit and regional events.

“One of the important roles of the SHTM is to feed research findings and other forms of expertise back to its principle base – the industry we serve,” said Professor Kaye Chon, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management. “This MOU is a further step to strengthen our collaboration, reaffirming the industry’s support for us. We look forward to working more closely with our WTTC counterparts in the years to come.”

“We are excited to partner with the SHTM in the Greater China region. We share the same goal to play a leading and positive role in the sustainable growth of the private sector,” said Ms Maribel Rodriguez, SVP of the WTTC.