180 million trips will originate from Mainland China in 2019. With such a large number, the market is obviously more and more fragmented, and different tourism service providers would need specific advice and insights into this important market.
The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) are joining hands to offer a new online training programme – the China Tourism Training (CTT). Aiming to become the Global Standard training in Chinese outbound tourism market, the CTT will offer five different tracks for tourism service providers.
Based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year, COTRI and the SHTM jointly offer the CTT, targeting tourism and hospitality professionals worldwide working with the Chinese market. Participants who succeed in passing the assessment will be awarded a verified university certification.
The CTT online training programme offers practical information about the Chinese outbound tourism market in five branch-specific tracks, namely Hospitality, Destinations, Retail, Attractions, and Transportation. The first one, CTT Hospitality, is now offered online; while the other four will be launched in the coming months.
Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM and Walter Kwok Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management, said, “The SHTM and COTRI are long-standing partners in hospitality and tourism education and research. The establishment of the CTT online programme provides an innovative platform on which hospitality and tourism service providers will be able to benefit from an advanced and specialized training and educational programme with global perspectives. Capitalizing on the diverse talents of our School’s international faculty, we are confident that our partnership with COTRI will contribute to the development of China tourism and the entire global industry in the years to come.”
Professor Wolfgang Georg Arlt, Director of COTRI, added, “We are very proud to have the SHTM as our partner. In line with the practical orientation of the education provided at the SHTM, the CTT programme concentrates on Best Practice Examples drawn from a wide range of high-level industry sources from many countries. This practical knowledge is given a solid base with lectures by experts and videos featuring Chinese tourists talking about their needs and expectations.”
The verified university certificate awarded to CTT participants will be valuable proof of their special skills and abilities in working with the Chinese market. They will also become members of the CTT Alumni Network (CTTAN) and can apply for the membership of the prestigious SHTM Alumni Association.
