Griffith Institute for Tourism

27/10/2026

🌟We’re pleased to share that Professor James Higham will be speaking at the Queensland XR Hub’s Field of Vision: An immersive 2032 event on Friday, 6 November.

With a focus on Brisbane 2032, the event will explore how immersive and extended reality (XR) technologies can contribute to innovative and memorable visitor experiences. Professor Higham has been invited to speak at the XR Hub on his current MBIE Endeavour research which addresses extended reality technologies and the delivery of immersive and regenerative visitor experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We’re delighted to see Professor Higham contributing to this exciting and timely conversation.

Read more: https://ow.ly/4axo5101c8t

Friday 6 November 2026 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

26/10/2026

It was great to be in Busselton, Western Australia last week, with the Griffith Institute for Tourism proud to sponsor the Australian Regional Tourism Convention.

Professor Charles Arcodia, Dr Truc Le and Professor Sarah Gardiner joined regional tourism leaders from across Australia to share ideas, challenge our thinking and explore some of the big issues shaping the future of regional tourism, including destination stewardship, resilience and social impact.

Sarah facilitated a panel on the social impact of tourism, exploring an increasingly important question: How can tourism create meaningful and lasting benefits for the communities and places that make our destinations special?

Because the future of regional tourism is about more than attracting visitors and driving economic growth. It is about stronger destinations, resilient communities, thriving places and harnessing tourism as a force for good.

📸 Image credit: ART / Heidi Lewis
Australian Regional Tourism Ltd (ART)

22/10/2026

👏 Griffith University partnership recognised for driving innovation in remote Queensland

Congratulations to Etheridge Shire Council and Griffith University on their recognition through the prestigious Peak Services Butch Lenton Award, celebrating innovation and community-led development in remote Queensland presented at the Local Government Association of Queensland conference in Cairns.

The award celebrates homegrown innovation in Queensland's remote councils, recognising initiatives that strengthen regional communities, foster resilience and create lasting economic and social benefits.

Etheridge Shire Council received the award in recognition of its innovative approach to regional development, supported by a long-standing collaboration with Griffith University's tourism researchers.

The partnership has been instrumental in developing and implementing the Unearth Etheridge Tourism Master Plan 2023–2032, establishing a strategic vision and securing over $10 million in state and federal government investment for sustainable tourism, economic diversification and community resilience along the iconic Savannah Way.

Reflecting on the significance of the partnership, Griffith University's Professor Brent Moyle said:

"Few things in my academic career have been more rewarding than the privilege of working alongside Etheridge Shire Council and its communities to turn ambitious regional aspirations into reality. This partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when research, local leadership and community ambition come together to deliver catalytic projects that build resilience, diversify economies and create lasting opportunities in remote Australia."

Mayor Barry Hughes notes:

"I would like to sincerely thank Griffith University for believing in our communities and walking alongside us throughout this journey. Their expertise has helped us create a model that is truly place-based and focused on delivering outcomes that reflect the aspirations of local people."

"I also want to acknowledge our Council team. Their commitment, creativity and willingness to work differently has been instrumental in turning community ideas into tangible projects and investment opportunities."

The recognition reflects the power of place-based collaboration to bridge the gap between research and implementation, demonstrating how universities can work alongside regional communities to deliver meaningful and lasting impact.

Congratulations to Etheridge Shire Council and all Griffith staff who have contributed to bringing this shared vision to life.

Dr Anna Kralj, Dr Sebastian Smith, Dr Lakshi Senevirathna, Kelley Noonan, GIFT Adjunct Professor Karine Dupre, Dr Truc Le, Dr Yawei Jiang, Associate Professor Elaine Yang, Dr Margarida Abreu Novais, Dr Rawan Nimri, Professor Brent Moyle

22/10/2026

☀️ When a city heats up, not every visitor feels it the same way ☀️

Congratulations to GIFT researchers Dr Ray Rastegar and Professor Susanne Becken, along with co-authors Mohammad Zamani and Nima Soltani-Nejad, on their new paper published in Annals of Tourism Research.

The study explores how extreme heat shapes tourists’ experiences, using go-along interviews and photo-elicitation with visitors at Naghsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Key findings include:
🔥 Heat can shift the focus of a visit from exploring a destination to finding shade and managing physical discomfort.
🧠 Extreme heat can dominate visitors’ attention and experiences.
💸 Access to taxis, cafés, cool spaces and cold drinks can make coping with heat easier for those who can afford them.
👥 Visitors also noticed how heat affected others, including older people, children and workers.

Drawing on these findings, the researchers propose a Tourism Heat Vulnerability (THV) framework, which considers heat as a lived and unequal experience, not only an environmental hazard.

The research forms part of GIFT’s Climate Justice and Tourism program and highlights the importance of shade, free drinking water and accessible public cooling spaces in tourism destinations.

🔗 Climate Justice and Tourism program: https://ow.ly/Ew7R50ZZzJm

📖 Open access paper: https://ow.ly/5SPR50ZZzJk

👏 Congratulations to the research team on this important contribution!

21/10/2026

📣 Join us for the CAUTHE Event Studies SIG seminar, Brisbane 2032 and Beyond: Building Meaningful, Inclusive and Lasting Event Legacies.

Featuring Professor Sarah Gardiner, Professor of Practice Daniel Gschwind, and Associate Professor Insun Sunny Son, this session will explore strategies for creating meaningful and lasting tourism, community, and event legacies as Queensland prepares for Brisbane 2032.

The seminar is co-chaired by Events SIG Co-Chairs Dr Truc Le, Dr Eliza Kitchen, and Dr Effie Steriopoulos. Researchers, HDR students, and industry professionals are warmly invited to attend.

The seminar will be held on Wednesday 10 February 2027 (4:00–5:30pm) in conjunction with the CAUTHE Conference in Parramatta. See the attached poster for details.

19/10/2026

✨ Tourism as a Force for Good ✨

We’re delighted to see Professor Sarah Gardiner, Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT), joining the 2026 Australian Regional Tourism Ltd (ART) Convention as a speaker for a conversation exploring how tourism can strengthen communities, protect culture and the environment, and improve the places people call home.

Alongside Lauren Caverley and Cameron Tynan, Sarah will explore how tourism can be used as a force for good, and how we can better understand and communicate its social impact.

19/10/2026

🏡 More Than a Bed: New Griffith research highlights the important role of short-term rental accommodation beyond holidays

When people think of short-term rental accommodation (STRA), leisure travel usually comes to mind. However, new research from the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) shows Australians also rely on STRA during periods of work, care, disruption and transition.

Through in-depth interviews, researchers identified seven categories of STRA uses for non-leisure stays, including:
✅ Work
✅ Property issue and renovation
✅ Natural hazard
✅ Moving between homes
✅ Domestic and family violence
✅ Education
✅ Health and care

The research team found that participants valued having a stable, home-like environment where they could maintain daily routines, retain independence, and adapt their stay as circumstances changed.

The study, titled "More Than a Bed", was commissioned by Airbnb and suggests that non-leisure STRA can provide a flexible layer within Australia's temporary accommodation system, complementing hotels and long-term rentals when accommodation needs are urgent, uncertain in duration, or require household-style facilities.

👏 Congratulations to the research team: Professor Basak Denizci Guillet and Dr Eunbi Jo (Research Co-Leads), Associate Professor Alexandra Coghlan, Dr Lee-Yun Chiang, and Professor Sarah Gardiner.

Read the full report: https://ow.ly/v8Sw50ZYNrB

19/10/2026

✨ Connecting and Celebrating Women’s Leadership in Tourism ✨

Last Thursday, the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) hosted the GBS Women’s Leadership in Tourism Lunch Forum at South Bank, bringing together GIFT and Griffith Business School (GBS) female researchers, PhD students, professional staff, and leaders from industry and government.

A very special thank you to our wonderful speakers Liz Savage, Rhonda Appo, Fiona Hood, Avril Harris and Dr Sera Vada, and to Associate Professor Elaine Yang for moderating the forum.

The event provided a valuable opportunity to connect, share experiences and have conversations around leadership, career development and industry engagement.

Thank you also to GIFT Directors Sarah Gardiner and Leonie Lockstone-Binney, our GIFT members and adjuncts, and GBS colleagues who joined us and helped make the afternoon so special.

We are grateful to the Griffith Business School Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee for proudly supporting this initiative.

📸 A few moments from a wonderful afternoon!

13/10/2026

Taking GIFT all the way to Mexico, Professor of Practice Daniel Gschwind was a speaker at EarthCheck's Inner Circle Forum at Riviera Maya, reflecting on the importance of effective community engagement to achieve true tourism sustainability.

This year’s Inner Circle brought together more than 125 leaders from across Europe, Australasia, the Americas and Asia, alongside a strong contingent of local representatives from Mexico. Inner Circle is a platform for international collaboration, connecting industry leaders, government representatives and sustainability experts to explore the future of sustainable tourism.

Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) and the Griffith Business School (GBS) are proud of their partnership with EarthCheck and its associated international partners. ✨

🌿🌏✨

12/10/2026

📢 New Research | Exploring the Future of Innovation in Tourism and Hospitality
What can tourism and hospitality learn from the broader field of management about innovation?

In their new paper, Dr Truc Le and Professor Sarah Gardiner examine how innovation has been studied across tourism and hospitality and the wider management literature, identifying shared themes, important connections and opportunities for future research.

📊 The study maps key areas of innovation, including customer service, employee learning, communication, sustainability, data use and innovation policy. It also identifies five directions for future research, highlighting opportunities to better understand how people, businesses, technology and policy interact to support innovation.

💡 The research provides useful insights for academics, tourism and hospitality businesses, and policymakers seeking to understand how innovation can be developed, supported and translated into practice.

📖 Read the full open-access paper:
https://ow.ly/FRa050ZW9a8

This study establishes an agenda for research on innovation in tourism and hospitality (T&H) through a systematic comparison of studies on innovation in the T&H literature with mainstream managemen...