The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) 2026 was held on Oct 16 in the Macao special administrative region. The School of Tourism Sciences at Beijing International Studies University (BISU) attended the forum as one of the first institutional members of the GTEF Council.

Drawing around 1,300 guests from more than 20 countries and regions, the forum focused on new challenges facing the global tourism economy and pathways toward sustainable development.

Participants of the forum pose for a group photo.

During the forum, the BISU delegation held in-depth talks with Pansy Ho Chiu-king, vice chairman and secretary-general of the GTEF. The two sides exchanged views on the appointment of an honorary dean for the school and on future cooperation, and discussed talent cultivation, joint research, industry practice and the application of research results.

Both sides said they would advance more cooperation projects and align the school's teaching and research more closely with the needs of Macao and the international tourism industry, further deepening industry-education integration.

The delegation also met with officials from the Macao University of Tourism and the Macao Government Tourism Office. Their talks covered research cooperation, faculty and student exchanges, tourism talent training, the application of research findings and the establishment of a standing cooperation mechanism on the forum platform.

Both sides hoped to draw on BISU's strengths in tourism studies and research teams to strengthen joint research on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and international tourism markets, and to support destination governance and industry innovation.

At a seminar on next-generation tourism leaders hosted by the Macao University of Tourism, Lyu Ning, dean of BISU's School of Tourism Sciences, spoke about how tourism education can respond to industrial transformation and strengthen its international and practice-oriented focus, drawing on the university's work in discipline development and talent cultivation.

Going forward, BISU will support its School of Tourism Sciences in fulfilling its responsibilities as a council member and take an active part in research and practice related to tourism development in Macao and beyond.

It will promote regular cooperation with the forum, Macao universities, government tourism departments and tourism enterprises, and work toward more results in joint research, exchanges, practical teaching, talent cultivation and the application of research findings.