Mr James LU Shien-hwai has been serving as the Executive Director of Hong Kong Hotels Association since 1997. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourist Association (now the Hong Kong Tourism Board).

Mr Lu started serving as a member of the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Board of the VTC in 1997. He became the Board’s Vice Chairman from 1998 to 2007 and remains as its advisor after the completion of his tenure. As a long-serving member of the training board, he offers his veteran knowledge and perspective in assessing the manpower demands of the industry.

Under his guidance, the VTC has seen a robust expansion and enrichment of its vocational education and training programmes for both young learners and in-service practitioners in the hospitality and catering sectors. In addition to his invaluable contributions to the development of the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (CCTI) and the Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre (HITDC), he also plays a significant role in the opening of the T-Hotel in 2011 which provides a simulated real-life hospitality environment for students to be groomed into high-calibre professionals in the hospitality industry.

As a member of the Hotel, Service and Tourism Studies Discipline Advisory Board of the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), Mr Lu has given judicious advice in course planning and curriculum development to ensure the programmes align with the latest industry needs.