On July 9, 2026, a research project by the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Macau University of Science and Technology, titled “Building Macau as a vulnerability-friendly and wellbeing-oriented tourism destination: An interdisciplinary travel therapy initiative for Chinese tourists”, has won the Gold Chinese Tourist Welcome Award 2026 in Product Innovation Category. The project was led by Professor Ben K. Goh, Dean of FHTM, Associate Professor Wen Jun, and PhD student in Tourism Management Wang Jiawei, with support from the Interdisciplinary Digital Cultural Tourism and Big Health Industry – Education Integration Committee and Global Tourism & Wellbeing Innovation Alliance (GTWIA). It aims to enhance Chinese tourists’ wellbeing and inclusive experiences through an interdisciplinary travel therapy approach.

Online Ceremony of the Chinese Tourist Welcome Award 2026

The Chinese Tourist Welcome (CTW) Award, established in 2004 by China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), recognises exceptional service to Chinese outbound travellers across five categories: Product Innovation, Service Quality, Marketing, Media/Internet, and Overall Performance. The 2026 awards were presented online, co-hosted by COTRI together with its partner Tourism Institute and the COTRI partner office in Beijing, with Prof. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, Dr. Reza Soltani, and Prof. Yang Jingjing as co-hosts. Prof. Arlt noted the high quality of applications and a clear shift among Chinese outbound tourists towards independent travel and deeper cultural and nature engagement.

Group Photo

Associate Professor Wen Jun delivered a presentation to over 50 government and industry representatives worldwide, sharing research progress and the travel therapy framework. Dean Professor Ben K. Goh stated that the Faculty will continue advancing interdisciplinary research at the nexus of cultural tourism and wellbeing, striving to deliver a more happiness-driven and culturally immersive experience for all visitors to Macau.