Australia's Number 1 Tourism Research University

Griffith University is Australia’s leading tourism university and is ranked No.1 in Australia and No.4 in the world in the most recent Shanghai Ranking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. It is one of only two universities in Australia to receive an ERA 5, indicating tourism research at Griffith University is well above world standards.

Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) is Australia’s largest tourism research institute with over 130 academic, adjunct and PhD members from tourism and tourism-related disciplines, such as technology, economics, architecture, planning and environmental sciences.

Research Capability Statement

Research clusters

Climate change action

Events and sports management

Resilient and sustainable tourism

Future of aviation

Visitor and economy data

Specialist areas

Leading tourism experts

We bring together research staff across a broad range of specialty areas including planning, marketing, property and investment, technology, architecture, economics, climate change and more.

Our Advisory Board provides strategic advice to the Institute regarding research activities, strategic direction, ways to forge partnerships in the tourism sector and improve its links with industry and government.

Research and publications

We aim to undertake and disseminate groundbreaking research in tourism to effect academic and external impact. Our research strives to connect to specialist knowledge and expertise to drive innovation in the tourism sector.

Accordingly, our research programs and strategic partnerships are designed to ensure high industry and policy relevance, while producing innovative, quality research.

Services

We provide innovative solutions for sustainable tourism, offering consultancy services to businesses, destinations, and communities. Our expertise spans practical research, big data management, and sustainable planning in the face of climate change. With a strong network in the industry and with regulators, our timely advice considers economic, social, and environmental impacts for successful and sustainable projects.

If you’d like find out more about our services, please contact us.

Tourism planning

We bring together researchers and consultants who work with tourism planning organisations to deliver Master Plans or other more specific tourism policy, in particular in relation to sustainable tourism. Our researchers understand the need to assess policies and have the appropriate skills to undertake robust evaluations. Our consultants are seeking to understand the full depth of challenges and opportunities at a tourist destination to avoid ‘easy fixes’ that result in sub-optimal long term benefits.

Economic modelling

Economic modelling is an art that requires a passion to deduce essential solutions to complex reality. Our modelling team is dedicated to bridging the gaps between the complex world we face and the decisions we make, for a better future. Challenging problems entail proper tools to understand the past behaviours, inform today’s decisions and predict tomorrow. We can cater for all, with our modelling experiences across all fields in econometrics, forecasting and the computable general equilibrium modelling technique.

Data mining

Researchers at the Institute has access to a range of national and international databases that enable them to integrate large data and extract tourism-specific intelligence. Researchers draw additional expertise from the Big Data laboratory at Griffith University. We have advanced skills in various types of statistical analysis and modelling, always pushing the boundaries to bring latest scientific understanding into tailored analytics.

Market research

Working closely with a range of tourism organisations, The Institute is known to deliver independent and robust market research on consumer trends, travel motivations and service expectations. Methods used include surveys, interviews and focus groups, but also more innovative approaches such as eye tracking, biophysical responses to stimuli and social media mining. Our researchers do not take mainstream trends as a given but aspire to deliver more sophisticated insights specific to the context of each client.

Risk and vulnerability assessment

Our researchers have experience in undertaking vulnerability assessments of tourism communities in Asia Pacific, in particular related to natural hazards and climate change impacts. Building on two decades of research and a deep understanding of how tourism links with other sectors and the environment, our researchers can help businesses and destinations future proof their operations

Training

The Institute provides a range of services, including practical and research-based training for industry professionals in Australia and overseas. Training programs can be tailored to particular needs, drawing upon the world-class expertise of tourism academics, finance, economic modelling, tourism satellite accounts, town planning, information technology and other areas. Training courses build on our extensive teaching, applied research and practical industry experience.

Bespoke advice

We have worked successfully with small tourism operators to develop innovative products, especially for emerging markets from China. Several innovative research approaches are used, including action research, participatory approaches and various qualitative techniques.

Partnerships

Working with organisations at the state and federal level, as well as building partnerships with businesses and not-for-profit organisations are of great importance to the research undertaken at Griffith Institute For Tourism. Engagement ranges from joint research projects to outreach activities and media events, and research targeted at specific tourism regions in Australia.

  • Beijing International Studies University, CN
  • Beijing Union University and the editorial team of Tourism Tribune, CN
  • China Tourism Academy, CN
  • Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, CN
  • Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HK
  • Hunan Normal University, CN
  • Institute of Policy Studies, Colombo, SL
  • Jiao tong University, CN
  • Lincoln University, NZ
  • Qatar University, QT
  • Queensland University of Technology, AU
  • Shanghai Normal University, CN
  • University of Hawai’i, US
  • University of Queensland, AU
  • University of Southern Denmark, DM
  • University of Surrey, UK
  • University of Waterloo, CA
  • Global Trade Policy Analysis Project network
  • Pacific Asia Travel Association
  • United Nations World Tourism Organisation
  • World Travel and Tourism Council
  • Air New Zealand
  • Amadeus IT Group
  • Chrystal Creek Meadows
  • City of Gold Coast
  • City of Sydney
  • EarthCheck
  • Murweh Shire Council
  • Get Wet Surf, Gold Coast
  • Gold Coast Tourism
  • Queensland Airports Ltd
  • Queensland Tourism Industry Council
  • Riverlife
  • Star Entertainment Group
  • Study Gold Coast
  • Sustainable Destination Partnership
  • Surfers Paradise Alliance
  • Tourism Australia
  • Tourism Events Queensland
  • Tourism Research Australia
  • Yugambeh Museum

Contact us

Phone
(07) 5552 8139
Email
gift@griffith.edu.au
Address
Business 2 Building (G27) Room 3.06
Griffith University - Gold Coast Campus
58 Parklands Drive
Southport Qld 4222

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