The alliance and its Mission

The GReAT Alliance is an international coalition of tourism or tourism-related research and knowledge centers whose mission is: “To address—on a global scale—the most persistent and important research issues, problems, and unresolved questions in tourism, through worldwide network of institutional partners working and pooling together their collective knowledge and resources."

manifesto

Address common intractable issues related to tourism on a global scale.

Recognizing that (1) the most pressing, enduring, and important tourism research problems and issues are best addressed on a global scale, (2) that there exists a need to confront global tourism research problems and issues more effectively by institutions working together in a coordinated and committed manner, and (3) there exists a strong desire for institutions to collaborate internationally and pool together collective resources in pursuit of solving common tourism problems and issues on a global scale, the GReAT Alliance, through its members, will:

1. Identify research projects and pursue a long-term research agenda that is mutually pertinent and relevant to all members and that will contribute to advancing tourism knowledge.

2. Share and pool together resources that can be contributed by Alliance members toward the realization of its research projects and long-term research agenda.

3. Contribute toward United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) priorities and the achievement of UNWTO sustainable tourism goals, including, but not limited to, addressing the connection between:

• Tourism and the alleviation of poverty.

• Tourism and the promotion of global peace and understanding.

• Tourism and the elimination of all forms of inequality (e.g., gender, race, age, ability, and income).

• Tourism and the protection of the natural environment and cultural heritage.

• Tourism and climate change.

4. Publish and communicate research findings in a timely manner via organizing meetings, conferences, or other fora in support of the Alliance mission.

founding (working committee) members

• Adam Blake, International Centre for Tourism & Hospitality Research, Bournemouth University, United Kingdom

• Frederic Bouchon, Taylor's University, Malaysia

• Leonardo Dioko, IFT Tourism Research Centre (currently known as UTM International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research), Macao S.A.R.

• Richard Harrill, University of South Carolina, USA

• Niramit Kunanuwat, Suan Dusit University, Thailand

• Chris Ryan, China-New Zealand Tourism Research Unit, Universtiy of Waikato Management School, New Zealand

• Noel Scott, Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith Business School, Australia

• Tej Vir Singh, Centre for Tourism Research and Development, India

• Kamilla Swart, Centre for Tourism Research in Africa, South Africa

• Amitabh Upadhya, Skyline University College, Sharjah, UAE

During the TOURISM 20:20 international symposium, the Director of the Tourism Research Centre, Professor Leonardo A.N. Dioko, signed a Joint Statement together with international scholars from 9 renowned tourism research centres and universities in Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Joint Statement affirms the establishment of the founding (working committee) members of the Global Research Alliance in Tourism (GReAT) and their desire to bring to address the Alliance mission. The signing was conducted before the presence of and witnessed by the Honorable UNWTO Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, and IFT’s President, Dr. Fanny Vong.

Alliance Secretariat:

International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research

Macao University of Tourism