The Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FHTM) of Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.) organized the fourth session of this semester’s Distinguished Scholar Forum of Hospitality and Tourism on November 28, 2023. Professor Dimitrios Buhalis from Bournemouth University Business School in England was invited as the speaker. Professor Ben K. Goh, Dean of FHTM, Vice-Dean Professor Timothy Lee, Assistant Dean Associate Professor Zhang Yang, Program Directors Dr. Pan Su-Ying and Dr. Feng Yan, and more than 100 teachers and students attended the lecture via Zoom. This lecture was sponsored by the Macau Foundation.
From Right: Prof. Ben K. Goh Delivered a Welcome Speech to Prof. Dimitrios Buhalis
On behalf of teachers and students, Dean Ben K. Goh extended a warm welcome to Professor Dimitrios Buhalis. Dean Ben K. Goh said that artificial intelligence, robots, and metaverse are among the hottest topics in the field of technology. Professor Dimitrios Buhalis' analysis will undoubtedly enrich the knowledge of the teachers and students of communication technology applications in the tourism industry. Additionally, it will provide clear directions to carry out more in-depth research and expand their ideas.
Professor Dimitrios Buhalis Gave a Lecture
The lecture was themed “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence, Robots, and Metaverse”. Professor Dimitrios Buhalis pointed out that artificial intelligence is becoming a mainstream new trend in the tourism industry and brings unlimited possibilities to the development of smart tourism. During the lecture, he analyzed the advancements, developments, and innovations in current scientific technologies. He emphasized that AI will become an intelligent assistant in the field of tourism, and the metaverse will provide a more immersive experience for travelers, taking them into a whole new world of tourism.
During the discussion and Q&A session, students were actively involved in asking questions. Professor. Dimitrios Buhalis gave detailed and professional answers to the questions related to the future of AI and VR technology and shared his thoughts on the use of AI to combine virtuality with reality, as well as his views on the practical application of AI in the tourism industry from the perspective of a researcher.
