By: Bryony Wardell
Posted on: January 16, 2019

The University of South Carolina’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management kicked off the New Year at the 24th Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism held in Houston, Texas, on January 3–6, 2019.

A delegation of UofSC hospitality and tourism faculty and graduate students represented South Carolina with an impressive lineup of research sessions, panel discussions and poster presentations.

Presentation Highlights:

1. Understanding The Long-Term Effects of Advertising Expenditures
   Rui Qi, University of South Carolina; Xichen Mou, University of South Carolina; David Cardenas, University of South Carolina
2. The Lodging Shared Economy Experience: Scale Development and
   Validation
   Jing Li, University of South Carolina; Simon Hudson, University of South Carolina; Kevin Kam Fung So, University of South Carolina
3. Identifying Themes of Airbnb Users’ Experiences and Differences by Regions and Prices: A Comparative Analysis of 22 U.S. Cities
   Chuhan Renee Wang, University of South Carolina; Miyoung Jeong, University of South Carolina
4. Sharing Dining Experiences on Social Network Sites: Examining the Sharer’s Perspective
   Somang Min, University of South Carolina; Kevin Kam Fung So, University of South Carolina
5. Reconciling the Honesty of Customer Complaint Behavior: The Effect of the Presence of Others
   Dan Jin, University of South Carolina; Robin B. DiPietro, University of South Carolina
6. Keep On Truckin’: Evaluating Customers’ Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions Regarding Branded and Independent Food Trucks
   Dan Jin, University of South Carolina; Howard B. Clark; University of South Carolina; Robin B. DiPietro, University of South Carolina
7. The Role of Perceived Enjoyment in Airbnb Experiences and Repurchase Intention
   Hyunsu Kim, University of South Carolina; So Kevin Kam Fung, University of South Carolina; Haemoon Oh, University of South Carolina
8. Augmented Reality: A Pull Factor for Tourism Destinations Technology Software in the Hospitality Industry
   Hyejo Shin, University of South Carolina; Miyoung Jeong, University of South Carolina
9. Consumer Behavioral Intentions Regarding Online Ordering from Restaurants
   Howard Clark, University of South Carolina, Robin DiPietro, University of South Carolina Panel

Discussion:

Dr. Kevin So was a panelist for the session “Learning from emerging global hospitality educators,” and delivered a TED Talk about “Transitioning from a Ph.D. Student to a Faculty Member,” followed by discussions and Q&A.

Posters:

1. Timeshare Competency: Distinguishing Top Performers
   Rebecca Neal, University of South Carolina; Scott Smith, University of South Carolina
2. The Influence of Study Abroad Program on College Students’ Values, Global Citizenship and Responsible Tourist Behavior 
   Xiaonan Zhang, University of South Carolina; Fang Meng, University of South Carolina; Simon Hudson, University of South Carolina

UofSC’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management’s graduate degree program offers both a Master of International Hospitality and Tourism Management and a Ph.D. in Hospitality Management.