Pursuant to 8 CFR §204.5(k)(2), Ms. Zhang is an advanced degree professional by virtue of her Bachelor’s degree (US equivalent) in Management from Yunnan Normal University in China followed by at least five years of progressive post-baccalaureate experience in the specialty.
 
 

MS. ZHANG QUALIFIES FOR A NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVER

 
In the course of her work, Ms. Zhang has acquired a formidable repertoire of knowledge and skills based on her accomplishments in the field of Digital Management and Hospitality Technology.  Further details of her accomplishments and achievements in the field which evidence that she is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor are provided below.
 
 
 
Ms. Zhang’s Proposed Endeavor has both Substantial Merit and National Importance.
 
Ms. Zhang intends to continue her work in the United States in the field of Digital Management and Hospitality Technology. Her endeavors in this regard are of both substantial merit and national importance, as described below:
 
1. Ms. Zhang’s proposed endeavor is of substantial merit: Ms. Zhang’s efforts in Digital Management and Hospitality Technology involve managing and helping to develop projects related to smart hotel technology so that hotels can save energy, reduce costs, and run more efficiently and effectively. As a result, such work is clearly of substantial merit.
 
2. Ms. Zhang’s proposed endeavor is of national importance: Ms. Zhang’s research has significant national and international implications and prospective impact for the field of Digital Management and Hospitality Technology. A key step in the transformation of hotel stays is the smart hotel room that leverages and extends levels of control and monitoring, increasingly common in consumer homes, to provide new capabilities for guests and operators. This can mean automatically turning down energy use while the room is unoccupied, having guests skip lobby check-in with room keys issued to their smartphones before arrival or ordering room service from an Alexa or Google Assistant device in their room. While the concept of a smart hotel room has been pushed into high-end hotel rooms for some time, smart home gadget familiarity and new demands on hoteliers are increasingly spurring investment across lower-priced hotel room categories. Alongside other drivers, the rise of the smart home consumer market and smart commercial building offerings has created blueprints, tools, and guest expectations for similar extended functionality and convenience during their stays. One recent research survey from Oracle Hospitality found that 73% of consumers were more likely to stay at a hotel that offers self-service technology to minimize contact with the staff and other guests. Meanwhile, 65% of hoteliers said incorporating new technologies best describes their strategy to weather labor shortages and attract new talent. A handful of key devices will drive a transformation in smart hotel room capabilities: smart thermostats, smart door locks and voice control front ends. The global Smart Hospitality Market size was valued at USD 13.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.8% from 2022 to 2027. The revenue forecast for 2026 is projected to reach $49.9 billion. The growth in tourism and increased investment in hotel projects to boost the demand of the smart hospitality market. Furthermore, the growing demand for guest-oriented, hyperconnected personalization and real-time optimized experience will drive the smart hospitality market.
知识库