Exploring and enhancing the visitor experience
We recognise that tourism is a highly personal product and that every experience is completely unique. This strategic research pillar focuses on developing a better understanding of how tourists experience and process a range of interactive touch points in planning, consuming and evaluating tourism systems.
Our researchers value the opportunity to connect with destination marketers, government representatives and businesses to further explore and improve customer experience in tourism. There is a focus on both domestic and international tourist experiences.
Using Innovative Technology
Eye tracking provides a very precise, objective and quantitative measure of what part of a picture or image a person is looking at. It is based on tracking the pupils of the eye using infra-red light. At GIFT, we use eye-tracking technology to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of tourism advertising.
Female Travel market
Female travellers is an increasingly significant market in tourism. Our team at GIFT specialises in Girlfriend Getaway ($6 billion annual market worth) and solo female travel. Our research utilises a wide range of innovative methods and tools to investigate the potentials and constraints of the female travel market, and offer recommendations to the tourism industry to better cater to this rising market. We also look at different niche areas for women travel such as spiritual tourism, medical/beauty tourism, bridal tourism, adventure tourism, etc.
Effectiveness of tourism advertisements using eye tracking and skin conductance measures
This study investigates the use of eye tracking data and skin conductance to examine the effectiveness of tourism advertising. Our research utilises unique tracking methods to analyse the consumer’s response to marketing messages. The project will provide useful insights into tourism design communication and will form part of an Australian Research Council proposal.
Project funding: We are currently seeking funding partners.
Our services
Experience design
Griffith Institute For Tourism works with government and industry to design and develop innovative tourism experiences.
Market research
Our 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.
Tourism enterprise research and business planning
We have extensive inter-disciplinary expertise in tourism strategy and planning.
Destination strategic plans
We have delivered analysis, industry engagement and performance measurement on many destination management and marketing plans.
Sentiment analysis using Big Data
Our researchers have the ability to analyse large volumes of data to discover consumer sentiment and trends.
Feasibility assessment
We provide feasibility testing and evidence-based expert advice to inform the design and develop innovative tourism experiences.
Asia tourism research
Our researchers conduct Asia tourism research to predict and improve the success of tourism products for Asian markets.
Gender studies
We can help find ways to empower women in your destination.
Technology-enabled experience design
We are at the forefront of new technology and has extensive experience working with industry to co-design technology-enabled experiences.
Workforce development and training
The Institute has created workforce development and training plans to enable our tourism workforce to deliver exceptional services and products.