Professor Dr Daniel Chong Ka Leong

Daniel Chong

Professor Dr Daniel Chong Ka Leong

  • Dean
  • School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
SDGs Focus
Quality Education
Sustainable Cities and Communities

Biography

Professor Dr. Daniel Chong is Dean and Professor of Hospitality at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø, with more than 20 years of experience in hospitality education, industry training and academic leadership. He holds a French degree in Tourism and Hospitality, an Australian MBA, and a Doctorate in Business Administration specialising in Services Branding. A former hotelier and F&B professional, Dr. Chong has held operational, consulting and training roles across multinational hotel groups, restaurant franchises and hospitality consulting. He is a Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT®), WSET-certified wine trainer, Master Barista certified by Illy Università del Caffè, and an Accredited Corporate Trainer under Malaysia’s HRD Corp. An award-winning educator, he has received teaching excellence awards and the Excellence in Innovation and Enterprise Award. His research focuses on the challenges and opportunities shaping hospitality and tourism in Asia. Internationally, he serves as Malaysia’s National Representative to the ASEAN–Korea Tourism Roundtable and as a Board Member of the Asia Pacific Tourism Association.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • DBA, Asia e University, Malaysia (2016)
  • MBA, University of Southern Queensland, Australia (2009)
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø (2024)
  • BSc (Hons), University of Toulouse, France (2003)
  • Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA), Advance HE, UK (2024)
  • Accredited HRDC Trainer, HRDC, Malaysia (2023)
  • Certified Hospitality Trainer, AHLEI, USA (2018)
  • Certified WSET Level 3 and Trainer, WSET, UK (2007)

Research Interests

  • Psychology of Sustainable Behaviour – Tourism and Hospitality Industry
  • Sustainable Food Service Management
  • Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management
  • Sustainable Tourism – Heritage, Conservation and Urban Planning
  • Strategic Management – Corporate Strategies and Services Branding

Teaching Areas

  • Competitive strategy
  • Strategic management
  • Food & beverage management
  • Wine studies
  • Beverage studies

Notable Publications

  1. 2026 - Anton, T. S., Chong, K. L., Trupp, A., & Stephenson, M. L. (2026). Rethinking Smart Technology Adoption in Foodservice Microbusinesses Through Specialist-Driven Action Research. Tourism and Hospitality, 7(6), 146.
  2. 2026 - Chong, K. L. (2026). Navigating the virtual restaurant frontier: Motivations and challenges for restaurateurs in post-pandemic era. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 29(4), 792-818. 
  3. 2025 - Chong, K. L., & Zhang, G. (2025). Perceptions and motivational factors of Chinese coffee consumers towards robot baristas: A Technology Acceptance Model 2 perspective. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 8(1), 350-369. 
  4. 2025 - Chong, K. L. (2025). Exploring managerial perspectives in TikTok adoption for luxury hotel brand communication. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 25(4), 668-684.
  5. 2025 - Chong, K. L., & Malakhova, Y. (2025). Psychological capital and social capital: Resilience building in the post-pandemic hotel industry in Malaysia. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 24(1), 111-138.
  6. 2024 - Chong, K. L., & Zhang, G. (2024). Perceptions and motivational factors of Chinese coffee consumers towards robot baristas: a Technology Acceptance Model 2 perspective. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights. 
  7. 2024 - Chong, K. L. (2024). Navigating the virtual restaurant frontier: motivations and challenges for restaurateurs in post-pandemic era. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 1-27.
  8. 2023 - Paraman, P., Annamalah, S., Chakravarthi, S., Pertheban, T. R., Vlachos, P., Shamsudin, M. F., Kadir, B., How, L. K., Hoo, W. C., Ahmad, S., Chong, D. K. L., Raman, M., & Singh, P. (2023). A Southeast Asian perspective on hotel service robots: Trans diagnostic mechanics and conditional indirect effects. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 9(2), 100040. 
  9. 2023 - Ka Leong, C., Ching Yung, S. F., Ching Hua, A. Y., & Seow Chyi, L. (2023). Post-pandemic education: hospitality program revisit. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 1-33.
  10. 2023 - Chong, D. K. L., & Stephenson, M. L (2023). Deciphering tourism's auspicious and inauspicious relationships with food and agriculture in Pacific Island states: Identifying problems and solutions. In Routledge Handbook on Tourism and Small Island States in the Pacific (pp. 126-140). Routledge. 
  11. 2023 - Anton, T. S., Trupp, A., Stephenson, M. L., & Chong, K. L. (2023). The Technology Adoption Model Canvas (TAMC): A Smart Framework to Guide the Advancement of Microbusinesses in Emerging Economies. Smart Cities, 6(6), 3297-3318
  12. 2022 - Io, M. U., & Chong, D. (2022). Determining residents’ enjoyment of Cantonese opera as their performing arts heritage in Macao. Annals of Leisure Research, 25(2), 273-290. 

Achievements & Accolades

  1. Student Appreciation of Teaching Award 2024/25 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.
  2. Student Appreciation of Teaching Award 2023/24 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø.
  3. ICCA Grant Recipient (2025) awarded by the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association)
  4. Award for Excellence in Innovation and Enterprise 2023 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø    
  5. Student Appreciation of Teaching Award 2020/21 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
  6. FRGS Grant Recipient (2019) awarded by the Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education
  7. Certified Hospitality Trainer CHT® (2018) awarded by American Hotel and Lodging Education Institute (AHLEI)
  8. Award for Excellence in Teaching 2018 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
  9. Student Appreciation of Teaching Award 2018 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
  10. Student Appreciation of Teaching Award 2017 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
  11. Student Appreciation of Teaching 2015 awarded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
  12. Best Coach of the Year 2014 awarded by Nestle Professional in recognizing excellent coaching in F&B Industry
  13. Best Coach of the Year 2012 awarded by Nestle Professional in recognizing excellent coaching in F&B Industry

Professional Associations

  1. National representative (Malaysia), ASEAN-Korea Tourism Roundtable Steering Committee
  2. National representative (Malaysia), ASEAN-Korea Tourism Roundtable Technical Working Party
  3. National representative (Malaysia), Board Members (2026-27) of APTA (Asia Pacific Tourism Association)