Student receives top award at Tourism and Hospitality Symposium

Edward (Yite) Yu, a PhD student in the School of Community Resources and Development, received the top student presentation award from Emerald Tourism and Hospitality Journals from U.K. at the Greater Western Chapter of Travel and Tourism Research Association Symposium. The Symposium was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico on March 17-19.

The themes of this year’s conference provided a discussion platform for a broad spectrum of topics related to emerging norms and the development, marketing and management of the tourism industry in general and cultural tourism in specific. The conference focused on the emerging new norms and micro and macro environment trends and their affects on the post-recession consumer and the themes related to cultural tourism.

“Edward is a dedicated Ph.D. student in the School of Community Resources and Development. His research interests include sustainable planning, development, and marketing of casino operations. Through his research in the United States, he hopes to develop a sustainable tourism development and marketing framework for his home country, Taiwan,” says his advisor, Deepak Chhabra.

“As a first year student in my doctoral program, many people may feel it is too early for me to deliver an oral presentation in a professional symposium. However, my advisor, Dr. Deepak Chhabra, strongly encouraged me to grasp this great opportunity to present myself in the academic community. With the support of the School of Community Resources and Development, I overcame the challenge to receive this honor,” says Yu. 

Yu has been invited to make a presentation at the International Travel and Tourism Association Conference in Ontario, Canada in June.

For more information on the Symposium: http://www.gwttra.com/Speakers%20Bios.htm.