From World Heritage Ancient City to Tropical Rainforest — Faculty and Students of School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University Successfully Complete the 2026 Malaysia Summer International Study Program

On August 10, 2026, a group of 23 people from the International Summer Study Program of the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University, led by Associate Professor Chen Jingfu and Assistant Professor Fan Jingheng, departed from Guangzhou to Malaysia for a ten-day overseas study trip. This course is a collaboration between the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University and the School of Hopsitality, Tourism and Events at Taylor's University in Malaysia. It involves exchanges and interactions with Malaysian tourism enterprises and ecological conservation organizations, focusing on themes such as cultural heritage preservation, digital cultural tourism, ecotourism, tropical rainforests, and wildlife protection. The program aims to guide students in reflecting on tourism practices and enhancing their cross-cultural communication skills. The curriculum includes specialized workshops, field research, digital imaging practice, and cross-cultural communication modules, covering classroom teaching, on-site data collection, and VR video production. During the project, teachers and students visited locations including Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Klang Valley, Kuala Gandah, Taman Negara, and Putrajaya. 

From world heritage cities to tropical rainforests, from classroom discussions to VR video creation, teachers and students explored how tourism connects cultural heritage, technological innovation, and ecological conservation through walking, observing, communicating, and practicing.

1.Collaborative learning: Expanding tourism perspectives through specialized workshops

At Taylor's University, professors conduct specialized teaching from various perspectives, including Malaysia's multiculturalism, heritage tourism destinations, tourism product development, and applications of artificial intelligence. Both teachers and students not only learn about the cultural heritage and practical experiences of Malaysia's tourism development in the classroom but also transform local materials into engaging tourism products through traditional handicraft experiences. In the video editing and VR application workshops, participants further explore how digital technologies contribute to the recording, presentation, and dissemination of cultural heritage, and present their research and learning outcomes through group reports.

2. Cultural Roaming: Understanding Malaysia Through Its Ancient Cities and Modern Metropolises

In Malacca, colonial-era architecture, traditional streets, daily life, and tourism activities together form a living World Heritage city. While observing how historical culture integrates into contemporary life, the students used 360-degree imaging to document heritage spaces, attempting to retell and disseminate Malacca’s heritage stories through technology. Meanwhile, visits to Kuala Lumpur, the Klang Valley, and Putrajaya further showcased Malaysia’s diverse landscape, from traditional heritage preservation to modern urban planning.

3.Tracking the Rainforest: Understanding Conservation Practices through Ecological Experiences

At Taman Negara, rainforest trekking, nighttime ecological observation, and interactions with local guides and indigenous people allowed everyone to experience the unique charm of the tropical rainforest from multiple perspectives, including the ecosystem, conservation management, and community involvement. The firefly tour in Selangor further made the teachers and students realize that even a brief tourist attraction depends on the long-term maintenance of a specific habitat.

4.Conclusion: From "Seeing" to "Understanding"

On August 19, 2026, the ten-day study tour in Malaysia concluded successfully. From the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Malacca to the tropical rainforests of Taman Negara National Park, from specialized classes to 360-degree video creation, teachers and students deepened their understanding of cultural heritage preservation, digital cultural tourism, and eco-tourism in real-world settings. They also enhanced their skills in field observation, teamwork, scientific research practice, and cross-cultural communication. Although the ten-day journey has ended, reflections on how tourism connects culture, technology, nature, and communities continue. 

Students’ reflections: As the Malaysia study tour comes to an end, my heart is still filled with reluctance to leave. This journey through the Malay Archipelago was as beautiful as an unforgettable dream, leaving a lasting impression. This study tour achieved a deep integration of classroom theory and field exploration. We visited World Heritage sites and delved into national parks, immersing ourselves in Malaysia’s multiculturalism and natural ecology. Through outdoor material collection, VR project creation, and classroom sharing sessions, we stepped beyond textbook knowledge to truly understand the development models and characteristics of local eco-tourism. We are very grateful to teachers Frankie and Jingfu for their attentive teaching and guidance throughout, and to Sister Qiao for her hard work in coordinating and thoughtful companionship. This fulfilling and healing study tour broadened our horizons and left us with incredibly precious and unique memories.

-- Huang Yingyan, 2024 MTA

The biggest impression from this trip to Malaysia is diversity. As someone traveling abroad for the first time, it was my first opportunity to experience the exotic customs of a foreign country and the diversity of the world. It was the first time I truly experienced how right-hand drive cars operate and the first time I genuinely used English to communicate with others. I also observed the differences between Malaysia and my home country in terms of tourism development concepts and the different ways tourism resources are managed. Malaysia has a slogan called "truly Asian." This country brings together diverse groups such as Malays, Chinese, Indians, and indigenous peoples. Different groups coexist harmoniously in the same place, blending various Asian cultures into a unique Malaysian culture. In short, this trip to Malaysia was very rewarding—both fun and educational!

-- Zhu Ruibin, 2024 undergraduate

The ten-day study tour in Malaysia has come to a successful conclusion, and this trip has been very rewarding for me. As my first trip abroad in my life, everything I saw and experienced along the way left a deep impression on me. It was my first opportunity to communicate with foreigners in English. Although my spoken English was not fluent and I encountered quite a few awkward moments, aren’t these also interesting experiences? I visited many famous historical sites and tasted a variety of cuisines, including Malaysian, Thai, and Indian dishes. More importantly, this journey gradually opened my heart. Through repeated teamwork, I made more friends and learned to enjoy the pleasure of being with others. This means a lot to me. In addition, I am very grateful to Teacher Nantha from Taylor’s University for accompanying us throughout the trip and providing explanations. During these ten days, he truly gave us great help.

-- Liu Zhenshuo, 2024 undergraduate

The ten-day study tour in Malaysia gave me a more tangible sense of tourism research. At Taylor's University, the interactions with local teachers and students left a deep impression on me. Listening to them share practical experiences in Malaysia's tourism development during class, and then casually chatting after class, I could feel how people from different cultural backgrounds have varied understandings of the same topic. This face-to-face dialogue was much more vivid than watching videos online. In Malacca, I carried a 360-degree camera as I wandered through the old buildings on Jonker Street—the Dutch Red House, Baba-Nyonya heritage homes, and shophouses lined up one after another. While shooting, I pondered: what exactly is cultural heritage preservation? Is it the old buildings themselves, or the life that continues within them? The rainforest hike in Taman Negara Gunung Ledang made me rethink ecotourism. The guide casually picked wild fruits and pointed out the uses of various plants, and the indigenous people demonstrated how to make fire by friction and how to hunt. These experiences helped me better understand the people of this land and their way of life. I am grateful for the teachers' guidance and the companionship of my peers. Ten days was short, but the gains were abundant.

-- Ke Teni, 2025 master

During this study tour, we experienced Malaysia's multiculturalism firsthand, examined local cultural heritage and eco-tourism resources, and engaged in academic exchanges with Taylor's University. I deeply felt the rich and complex charm of multicultural integration under a cross-cultural background. Over the course of ten days, we traveled through Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Malacca, Pahang, and Putrajaya. Whether in the classrooms of Taylor's University, the historic streets of Malacca, or trekking through the rainforest, every place served as a learning environment for us hospitality students, embodying the unity of knowledge and practice. Through comparing and reflecting on different cultures, I gained numerous insights: from the differences in educational models to interpretations of specialized knowledge; from experiencing Malaysia's multi-ethnic cultural integration to reflecting on our own nation's ethnic and cultural confidence and strength—these reflections are countless.

-- Lu Yi, 2024 undergraduate