FBA Salon Series on Tourism+ : “Solo consumption is rising: Implications to tourism researchers and practitioners” was hosted by Prof. Faye Feier CHEN, Assistant Professor of the Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management on October 11, 2023 and Prof. Huiling HUANG, was invited to deliver the seminar.
Dr. Huiling HUANG is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management at the University of Macau. Her research interests focus on consumer behavior in the tourism and hospitality industries, with special interests in service marketing, technology innovations (e.g., robots and AI), solo consumption (e.g., solo travel and solo dining), and sustainable tourism. Prof. Huiling HUANG showed that solo consumption is becoming one of the fast-growing global trends, with important social, economic and cultural implications. In this lecture, She first introduced solo consumers’ profiles and their more complex motivations and constraints. Then, she used recent research as an example to analyze the differences between solo and group consumers in terms of their decision-making and behaviors, pointing out the challenges and opportunities for the solo consumption market. In addition, Prof. Huiling HUANG and all the participants also explored the new business models that can be combined with solo consumption and its sustainable development.
The lecture triggered a lively discussion among the participants, and Prof. Huiling HUANG talked with the students and teachers on the future research direction of the solo consumer. For students and practitioners in the tourism industry, understanding and grasping this special segment of the consumer market may provide more development possibilities for market players and academia.
