Faculty & Staff

Dr. Yao-Chin Wang serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management (THEM) at the University of Florida (UF), while also contributing as a Member of UF Mindfulness. Hailing from Taitung, Taiwan, Dr. Wang earned his Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from Oklahoma State University, an MBA specializing in Human Resource Management from the National Changhua University of Education in Taiwan, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the National Chung Cheng University in Taiwan. Before UF, he taught at Xiamen University in China and the University of Arkansas.

Dr. Wang's scholarly pursuits center on Mindfulness within the realms of Tourism, Hospitality, and Events, with specific focus areas including (1) Artificial Intelligence and Technology Experiences, (2) Management and Organizational Behavior, and (3) Marketing and Consumer Behavior. His groundbreaking work, "Artificial intelligence-assisted mindfulness in tourism, hospitality, and events," published by the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management in 2024, marks a seminal contribution to forging a new domain of AI-assisted mindfulness within THEM research. His extensive mindfulness research portfolio spans diverse topics, encompassing the development of an AI-powered web platform integrating nature-based mindfulness, the utilization of conversational AI chatbots as counselors for hospitality employees, the exploration of customers' technology mindfulness regarding smart hotel systems, and the elucidation of AI and supportive technology experiences among visually impaired patrons. Further investigations delve into the conceptualization of a mindfulness-driven model for metaverse-stimulated tourism prosocial behavior, the adoption of meditation videos to enhance employee mindfulness and occupational health, the storytelling of mindfulness-themed Airbnb online experiences, and the evaluation of sensory experiences at farm-to-table events (SEFTE) and memorable dining experience with five-senses at Michelin-starred restaurants (MDEFS). Additionally, Dr. Wang’s work extends to the design of healing experiences at resort hotels (HERH), mindful dining experiences at vegetarian restaurants, fostering mindful communities and mindful leadership in agritourism settings, leveraging divine and environmental awareness in food waste prevention initiatives, and conceptualizing travel for mindfulness through Zen retreat experiences.

Dr. Wang has published 76 journal articles (56 of which are published in SSCI/SCI journals) and 92 refereed conference papers, including 12 articles in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. He is the Social Media Editor for the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management. He also serves as an Editorial Board Member for the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases. Dr. Wang also serves as a co-Guest Editor for a special issue on "Mindfulness and mental health in hospitality and tourism education and the workplace" of the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education. Dr. Wang's expertise is also recognized through his extensive engagement as a speaker, having delivered over 30 invited presentations, lectures, and keynote speeches. Notable appearances include his role as Conference Keynote Speaker on “Mindfulness Applications in Hospitality and Tourism” at Fu Jen Catholic University, Top-Line Team Meeting Speaker on “Mindfulness and Technology in Hospitality: Insights and Opportunities for Hotel Revenue Management and Marketing” for Highgate - Hospitality Investment & Management Company, and Symposium Keynote Speaker on “Mindfulness in Hospitality and Tourism: Applications and Research Findings” for the 2024 UF Mindfulness Symposium.

Dr. Wang's contributions to research have been recognized through prestigious honors and awards. Notably, he was honored with the esteemed W. Bradford Wiley Memorial Best Research Paper of the Year Award at the 2019 Annual ICHRIE (International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education) Conference, underscoring the significance and impact of his scholarly endeavors. His influence and expertise in the field were further acknowledged with accolades such as being named among the Global 25 Most Influential Educators in Hospitality for 2021 and being recognized as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in USA Hospitality for 2022 by the International Hospitality Institute. In addition to these esteemed accolades, Dr. Wang's commitment to academic rigor and excellence is reflected in his receipt of Best Reviewer Awards from the 2018 Annual ICHRIE Conference, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.

Dr. Wang is currently accepting doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate honors students who are interested in conducting research on mindfulness in the fields of tourism, hospitality, and/or events. If you're interested, please feel free to reach out via email at wang.yaochin@ufl.edu.

Research Interests