The Global Research Alliance in Tourisum (GReAT) is initiated by IFT to affirm the urgent need to address the most persistent and important research issues, problems, and unresolved questions in tourism on a global scale, through a worldwide network of institutional partners working and pooling together their collective knowledge and resources.

The first preliminary meeting of GReAT was held on 12 October 2015 in IFT together with the founding members from 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.

Joining the meeting, there were Professor Christopher Ryan, University of Waikato, New Zealand; Professor Noel Scott from Griffith University, Australia; Dr. Kamilla Swart and Dr. Brendon Knott from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Centre for Tourism Research in Africa, South Africa; Dr. Niramit Kunanuwat and Ms. Sawraya Rojana-Anun from Suan Dusit University, Thailand; Dean Haemoon Oh, Dr. Brian Mihalik and Dr. Richard Harrill from University of South Carolina, US; Dr. Frederi Bouchon from Taylor's University, Malaysia; Dean Amitabh Upadhya from Skyline University College, UAE.