Kaye Kye-Sung Chon

Kaye Kye-Sung Chon
Kaye Kye-Sung Chon in 2024
Born
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Academic, professor, researcher
Known forDean of PolyU SHTM, founding Hotel ICON
AwardsUNWTO Ulysses Prize (2011), Howard B. Meek Award (2007), Wiley Lifetime Research Award (1994), President's Medal (South Korea), McCool Breakthrough Award (2012, 2017)
Academic background
Alma materGeorgia State University (BS)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MS)
Virginia Tech (PhD)
Doctoral advisorsMichael D. Olsen, Joseph Sirgy
Academic work
DisciplineHospitality and tourism management
Sub-disciplineTourism marketing, sustainable tourism, hospitality education
InstitutionsThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Kaye Kye-Sung Chon is a South Korean and American academic specializing in hospitality management and tourism. He currently serves as Dean and Chair Professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), where he also holds the Walter Kwok Foundation Professorship in International Hospitality Management. Chon is noted for his contributions to hospitality education, including his role in the establishment of Hotel Icon.

Early life and education

Chon was born in Jeonju, South Korea. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University, graduating summa cum laude in 1984.[1] He earned a master's degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1985 and completed his PhD at Virginia Tech in 1990, specializing in marketing and consumer behavior in tourism.[2]

Academic career

After his PhD, Chon joined the faculty at Virginia Tech. He later held positions at the UNLV and the University of Houston, where he was Professor and Director of Research and the Tourism Industry Institute at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.[3]

In 2000 Chon became Dean of SHTM at PolyU.[4] At the university, he also holds the Walter Kwok Foundation Professorship in International Hospitality Management.[5]

Under his leadership, SHTM became an independent school. Chon was involved in the development of Hotel ICON, a teaching and research hotel.[1][3]

Awards and honors

Chon received the UNWTO Ulysses Prize in 2011 for tourism knowledge creation.[6] In 2007 he was honored with the Howard B. Meek Award.[7]

Other honors include:

  • President's Medal, South Korea[1]
  • Wiley Lifetime Research Award (1994)[3]
  • McCool Breakthrough Award (2012, 2017)

Selected works

  • Welcome to Hospitality: An Introduction (Delmar Cengage Learning, 2009)[8]
  • Leading the Way: The Story of SHTM and Hotel ICON (School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2014)[3]
  • "Assessing the Predictive Validity of Two Methods of Measuring Self-Image Congruence" (with M. Joseph Sirgy, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 1997)[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Denizci-Guillet, Basak (2018). "Kaye Kye-Sung Chon: A source of inspiration for many generations to come". Anatolia. 29 (1): 160–166. Bibcode:2018Anato..29..160D. doi:10.1080/13032917.2018.1434929. hdl:10397/104845.
  2. ^ Sirgy, M.J.; Chon, K.S. (1997). "Assessing the predictive validity of two methods of measuring self-image congruence". Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 25 (3): 229–241. doi:10.1177/0092070397253004.
  3. ^ a b c d Chon, Kaye Kye-Sung (2014). Leading the Way: The Story of SHTM and Hotel ICON. School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
  4. ^ "Top-ranked school that owns a hotel: PolyU's real-life classroom in Hong Kong". South China Morning Post. 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  5. ^ "Tourism continues to be a sunrise industry with continuing employment growth: Kaye Chon, Dean & Chair Professor, SHTM". Hospitality ON. 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  6. ^ "UN Tourism Ulysses Prize". Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  7. ^ "Prof. Kaye Chon Honoured with Howard H. Meek Award". Asia Travel Tips. 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  8. ^ Chon, Kaye Kye-Sung (2009). Welcome to Hospitality: An Introduction. Delmar Cengage Learning. ISBN 9781428321489.
  9. ^ Sirgy, M. Joseph; Chon, Kaye Kye-Sung (1997). "Assessing the Predictive Validity of Two Methods of Measuring Self-Image Congruence". Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 25 (3): 229–241. doi:10.1177/0092070397253004.