The Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) is committed to support academic research and development. Two IFTM scholars have recently received the Highly Commended Paper Award by a leading journal in tourism and hospitality field, which is a testament to the international recognition of IFTM's academic research strengths.
Two IFTM faculty members, Dr. Irene Cheng Chu Chan and Dr. Zhaoyu Chen (Vicky), have received the 2023 JHTM Highly Commended Paper Award by the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management (JHTM). The award-winning paper, titled “The more the better? Strategizing visual elements in social media marketing” was funded by IFTM and produced in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Leung from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Based on two studies conducted in the restaurant context, the scholars explored the strategic use of different visual elements in social media marketing to evoke viewers’ interest, desire, and actions. The findings revealed that photographic contents should strike a balance among visual volume, variety, and dynamism to avoid presenting overloading information to viewers.
JHTM has a SSCI impact factor of 8.3 in 2023, rated ‘A’ on the Australian Business Deans Council's (ABDC) Journal Quality List. JHTM presents three annual awards to acknowledge outstanding achievements in published research, including one Best Paper Award and two Highly Commended Paper Awards. These papers are selected by the JHTM editorial team through a comprehensive evaluation process that combines both quantitative analysis (using statistics and Scopus citation counts of the published papers), with qualitative assessment of the papers’ impact and contribution to the field.
The recognition received on their work reaffirms IFTM’s commitment to excellence in research and innovation. It also showcases the dedication and expertise of IFTM scholars in advancing the knowledge in tourism. IFTM will continue to support academic research and improve the quality of education and academic research.
Winning article:
Irene Cheng Chu Chan, Zhaoyu Chen, Daniel Leung (2023). The more the better? Strategizing visual elements in social media marketing. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 54, 268-289, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.11.007