To broaden the research horizons of our graduate students and enrich their understanding of the cutting-edge trends in current hot springs tourism industry, the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management (FHTM) at Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) traveled to Japan from June 16th to June 23rd for a seven-day experiential learning exchange program. This event was led by Associate Dean Professor Zhang Yang and Assistant Professor Xia Menglong, with a total of 15 master's and doctoral students participating. This event was sponsored by the Macao SAR Education and Youth Foundation.
The learning activities mainly comprised of professional academic exchange with leading universities as well as the field trips to hot spring tourism destinations. Our faculty students first visited the department of tourism at Josai International University's Tohama Campus. The Dean of the Department, Professor Tatsuo Uchiyama, delivered a warm welcome to our students. Associate Professor Yu Hang gave a lecture on the development of hot spring tourism. Subsequently, our students visited the Department of Tourism at Rikkyo University in Japan. At the university, Professor Guoqing Du gave a special lecture on management and tourism development of traditional historical districts.
In terms of on-site inspections, the experiential learning mainly included visits to typical tourism attractions closely related to hot springs destination management. These locations included the " Ichibangai " historic district in Kawagoe City, the Owakudani Volcano Hot Springs in Hakone Town, Ryugujo Onsen Hotel, the Hot Springs Geology Museum, the "Hashiriyu" Hot Springs in Atami Town, the Omuroyama Volcano Heritage site in Izu Town, Funaharakan hot spring Hotel, and the Shuzenji Street. Meanwhile, with the assistance of the sightseeing association in Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, our students also experienced Japanese-style hot spring bathing attire and traditional Japanese tea ceremony. They stayed in rural homestays, gaining insights into the local rural homestay management operation pattern.
This experiential learning program not only enriched the teachers' and students' knowledge and understanding of hot spring tourism management, but also broadened the research horizons and improved the communication and networking with the Japanese partner universities.
Group photo with associate professor Yu Hang and students from faculty of tourism of Josai International University
Group photo with professor Du Guoqing from faculty of tourism of Rikkyo University
FHTM students visit Owakudani Volcano Hot Spring Destination
FHTM students visit Funaharakan Hot Spring hotel
