Students from Assumption University of Thailand (AU) ’s MBA in Hotel and Tourism Management program proudly presented their Independent Study research at the International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism 2026, held July 13–14 at the Ambassador Hotel Bangkok.
The conference marked an important milestone for the students as they presented at an international academic gathering alongside researchers, scholars and tourism professionals from universities and institutions around the world.
Three MBA-HTM students from Timor-Leste received special recognition for the quality and practical relevance of their research.
Ms. Ofelia Amaral Martins received the Best Presentation Award for her research, Tourism Activities Planning and Local Economic Development: A Case Study of Fleixa, Ainaro Municipality, Timor-Leste.
Ms. Emidia Maria Freitas Pereira also received the Best Presentation Award for her study, Leveraging Culture-Based Tourism to Enrich Tourists’ Experiences: A Case of Timor-Leste.
Ms. Sara de Jesus Dias received a Special Recognition Award for her research, Impact of Service Quality on Guest Satisfaction: A Case Study of Three-Star Hotels in Dili, Timor-Leste. Her findings offered valuable insights with the potential to contribute directly to the continued development of Timor-Leste’s hospitality and tourism industry.
All three research papers were co-authored by Dr. Adarsh Batra, who provided academic guidance and research supervision throughout the students’ Independent Study work. His mentorship helped the students strengthen their research, connect academic findings with real tourism challenges and prepare their work for presentation on an international stage.
The students’ achievements reflected not only strong academic preparation but also their ability to connect research with the needs of destinations, communities and hospitality businesses. Their work demonstrated how graduate-level research can move beyond the classroom and help inform tourism planning, service improvement and sustainable economic development.
Their success brought great pride to the MBA-HTM program and highlighted AU’s commitment to preparing internationally minded graduates capable of making a meaningful contribution to tourism development in their home countries and across the region.
WRITER : ADARSH BATRA
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