鈥淭he increasingly complex business environment the travel and tourism industry is facing requires an interdisciplinary approach to produce professionals who not only have a strong technology foundation but also understand the business context in which the technology is applied.鈥�
鈥� Youcheng Wang

The proliferation of new and emerging technologies that make traveling more convenient and efficient, such as ride-sharing mobile apps and third-party booking services, is fueling the industry鈥檚 demand for high-tech workers.

The master鈥檚 degree program 鈥� the first of its kind in the nation 鈥� will be offered by 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science and Rosen College of Hospitality Management, which is ranked No. 4 in the world for hospitality education by CEOWorld magazine. The degree was approved by the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors last year.

鈥淭his innovative program is the result of strong collaboration between our two colleges, and illustrates how 麻豆原创 continually strives to create opportunity beyond traditional academic boundaries,鈥� says Michael Georgiopoulos, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

鈥淭he increasingly complex business environment the travel and tourism industry is facing requires an interdisciplinary approach to produce professionals who not only have a strong technology foundation but also understand the business context in which the technology is applied,鈥� says Youcheng Wang, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. 鈥淪uch a partnership program between the two colleges is definitely the right answer to the industry call.鈥�

Orlando, where 麻豆原创 is located, is the No. 1 travel destination in the United States and provides an ideal learning environment for technology professionals who may want to apply their skills in the travel industry.

The program has been designed by a team of 麻豆原创 faculty led by Alan Fyall, associate dean of academic affairs, Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism and a professor of hospitality. Fyall is an expert in global travel industry workforce trends.

鈥淭here is no better place than Orlando to get hands-on experience in the travel industry,鈥� Fyall says. 鈥淪tudents in this degree program can work for airlines, hotels, resorts, travel companies, entertainment companies, theme parks 鈥� the opportunities are endless here.鈥�

The travel technology and analytics master鈥檚 degree will appeal to technology professionals who may be working in other industries, according to Ali Gordon, associate dean for Graduate Affairs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

鈥淢any of our computer science and information technology graduates are recruited by large-scale technology companies, and therefore may not initially consider the travel industry when they make early-career moves,鈥� Gordon says. 鈥淭his new degree gives these professionals another exciting career choice.鈥�

Also on the faculty team is Naveen Eluru, associate professor of civil engineering. Eluru is an expert in transportation engineering and technology and heads the Transportation Econometric Modeling Group at 麻豆原创. He will teach one of the core analytics courses in the program.

Eluru notes that while the COVID-19 global pandemic has disproportionately affected the travel and tourism industry, this time can present an opportunity for professionals to broaden their skills and engage in the industry鈥檚 resurgence.

鈥淭he revival of the travel and tourism industry will lay increased emphasis on the application of technology and analytics in the future,鈥� says Eluru. 鈥淲ith the rapid emergence of new technologies, the opportunity for career growth in travel technology and analytics is huge, as the role of smart infrastructure expands in tourism and hospitality sectors along with burgeoning smart transportation systems across cities.鈥�

Eluru is also on the faculty team that designed and oversees 麻豆原创鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree in smart cities program 鈥� another first-of-its-kind program in the nation 鈥� that began last fall.

The 30-hour master鈥檚 degree program in travel technology and analytics is offered partially or fully online. In-person classes are scheduled to be held at both the Rosen College campus near International Drive and 麻豆原创鈥檚 main campus in east Orlando.

The coursework follows an appropriate mix of required core courses and elective options. The core courses will cover concepts in travel technology, hospitality management and travel analytics, providing STEM students with a solid foundation in the travel and tourism industry. The program also includes a capstone course to provide students with hands-on tourism industry experience.

Core courses include Smart Travel and Tourism, International Tourism and Management, Service System Quality Engineering, Discrete Choice Modeling in Transportation, Algorithms and Models for Smart Cities, and a capstone course.

The deadline to apply for the program is July 1, 2020.

Wang is the William C. Peeper Preeminent Professor in Destination Marketing and has been the recipient of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Researcher of the Year Award, Rosen College鈥檚 Distinguished Researcher of the Year Award, as well as the Keeling Dissertation Award at the Travel and Tourism Research Association conference.

His research and consulting interest focuses on hospitality marketing and management, destination marketing and management, collaborative strategies, and technology management. He is a member of several professional associations including the Travel and Tourism Research Association and the International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators. Wang is the author of four books and more than 150 scientific publications, and is a frequent speaker at international and national conferences and industry forums.

Fyall also is the Visit Orlando Endowed Chair and the interim chair of the tourism, events and attractions department at 麻豆原创 Rosen College. He has published widely in the areas of tourism, destination marketing and management, including 22 books.

Fyall is a former member of the Bournemouth Tourism Management Board and has conducted numerous consulting and applied tourism research projects for clients in the United Kingdom, European Union, Africa, the Caribbean, United States, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. Fyall also teaches International Tourism Management and has examined 30 doctoral students around the world. He is a co-organizer with the City of Orlando of the upcoming Tourism 2030 workshop to be held in May.

Wang and Fyall will be inducted into the academy at its next biennial conference in 2021.

The academy is housed at the School of Hotel & Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1988 and has 87 fellows worldwide.

鈥淒ue to the fast-paced growth of the Chinese tourism market and its undeniable impact on the hospitality and tourism industry here in Central Florida, it鈥檚 critical for stakeholders to learn as much as possible about China and how to succeed in attracting businesses from China,鈥� said Dr. Youcheng Wang, associate dean for academic affairs and research at Rosen College.

The summit will address the following topics:

Confirmed speakers include:

Space is limited. Visit to register for this one-day event. For questions about the USA-China Tourism Research Summit, please contact Dr. Youcheng Wang at 407.903.8039 or Youcheng.Wang@ucf.edu.

In partnership with , Rosen College offers an intensive six-month Undergraduate Certificate Program in Hospitality & Tourism Management for international students who are currently enrolled in hospitality, tourism or business related programs in 麻豆原创鈥檚 international partnership universities (IPU). Students take academic courses at Rosen College and participate in an academic internship through the Disney International College Program at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Students gain experience working with a globally recognized hospitality brand while earning a certificate from a top hospitality institution. They also earn 12 credit hours toward graduation at their home institution: 9 from course work and 3 from successfully completing the academic internship.

Courses include:

Rosen College is currently accepting applications for the Spring 2015 cohort. The deadline is Sept. 26, 2014.

For more information about the Disney Undergraduate Program in Hospitality & Tourism Management, please click here or contact Dr. Youcheng Wang at +1 407.903.8039 or Youcheng.Wang@ucf.edu.

麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management and the Lee Westwood Golf School in Apopka are teaming up to help students prepare for careers in the industry, including the 1,200 public and private golf courses in Florida 鈥� more than any other state.

The program is a natural fit for Florida, said Dr. Jill Fjelstul, a Rosen College professor in the Department of Tourism, Events and Attractions, and a member of the LPGA.

鈥淭he weather is great all year and this will be an exciting program because we鈥檙e partnering with a major brand such as Lee Westwood,鈥� she said.

Classes for this non-credit certificate will cover topics such as club management, events, leadership, food and beverage, equipment analysis, club fitting, and tournament preparation.

Students will take academic classes at Rosen College and add player-development activities at the Lee Westwood Golf School, which started last year at Errol Estate Golf & Country Club. Lee Westwood has other golf schools in the United Kingdom, but this is his only school in the United States.

Westwood, one of the world鈥檚 top players, is from England and moved to West Palm Beach last year. He has been a pro since 1993, has had victories on the PGA and European tours, and has represented Europe in several Ryder Cup matches versus the United States.

鈥淭he program is designed to enhance 麻豆原创鈥檚 position as a partnership university,鈥� said Dr. Youcheng Wang, a professor and associate dean at Rosen. 鈥淩osen College is designing and delivering a tailor-made program to serve the needs and interests of industry professionals.鈥�

Fjelstul said some of the targeted students for the continuing-education certificate are graduates just out of high school and international students who have not decided whether to pursue a college degree. She also has met with 麻豆原创鈥檚 Veterans Academic Resource Center about promoting the certificate because she said many veterans are interested in pursuing golf schools after leaving the military.

The World Golf Foundation based in St. Augustine says the golf industry supports about 167,000 jobs and generates about $13.8 billion a year for the economy.

And what is the key to becoming a good club manager?

鈥淯nderstanding why a member joins a club and exceeding those expectations. Every member is unique and with varying needs,鈥� Fjelstul said. 鈥淲hat will set us apart from the other golf schools are the faculty credentials at Rosen College, the Rosen College educational offerings, and the golf training facility at Errol Estates.鈥�

To find out more about the course, contact Fjelstul at Jill.Fjelstul@ucf.edu, 407-903-8096, or Wang at Youcheng.Wang@ucf.edu, 407-903-8039.

Published by Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, the Journal of Destination Marketing & Management provides a critical understanding of all aspects of destination marketing and management, as they are situated in their particular policy, planning, economic, geographical and historical contexts.

The journal will be of particular interest to those involved in the interdisciplinary approach of marketing and management, economic development and planning, geography, sociology, psychology, anthropology, retailing, policy making and public administration of tourist destinations.

鈥淔or academics to fully understand destinations, engagement with professionals in the field is critical to ensure that research is contemporary, relevant and of value to those making decisions and allocating funds for infrastructure, attractions and marketing campaigns,鈥� said Fyall. 鈥淚t is for this reason that the Regional Spotlight feature of short, contemporary and critical opinion pieces from those very close to the workings of destinations, is such an important aspect of the new journal. It is thus hoped that our new journal will serve as a catalyst for both academics and professionals who are passionate about tourism destinations in advancing academic scrutiny and management expertise to the ultimate benefit of the visitor.鈥�

According to Fyall, destinations are arguably the single most important prerequisite for the continued success of the global tourism industry, and warrant serious and sustained academic scrutiny.

鈥淭he journal is a timely and significant contribution to an area of study which is relatively under-researched but important to scholars and professionals who are treating destinations as units of analysis in the context of tourism studies,鈥� said Wang. 鈥淲e are committed to developing Journal of Destination Marketing & Management as the leading international journal for the study of tourism destinations.鈥�

Elsevier will offer free online access to the publication鈥檚 content for the next 12 months, before switching to a paid subscription format.