Advancing knowledge together
Academic
Research
Academic research forms the foundation of innovation. Working across disciplines and in collaboration with universities, industry partners, public organisations and students, we develop knowledge that contributes to academic debate, education, policy and professional practice.
Why take part?
Academic research helps us look beyond today’s pressures and understand what may come next. By taking part, you can:
- Explore questions that matter to your organisation or sector
- Connect with researchers and international expertise
- Contribute professional knowledge, data or a real-world setting
- Gain new perspectives on long-term developments
- Help translate research into education, policy and practice
What are we exploring?
Our research connects people, organisations, experiences and places.
Futures and disruption
How will technological, social, demographic and economic change reshape the sector?
Hospitality and service innovation
How are services, guest experiences and operating models evolving?
Destinations and tourism systems
How can destinations respond to changing visitor flows, communities and stakeholder needs?
Sustainability and responsibility
How can organisations and destinations create environmental and social value?
People, work and leadership
How can the sector attract, develop and retain talent while creating meaningful workplaces?
Education and lifelong learning
How should education and professional development evolve alongside practice?
Entrepreneurship and business development
How can organisations recognise opportunities, adapt and create new value?
Technology, data and artificial intelligence
How are digital developments influencing work, education, decision-making, revenue and experiences?
How can you get involved?
- Bring a research question — Explore a subject that matters to your organisation, community or sector.
- Join a research project — Collaborate as an industry, public or academic partner.
- Provide a real-world setting — Contribute data, professional insight, access to stakeholders or a place to test ideas.
- Connect research and education — Work with researchers, lecturers and students on shared questions.
- Develop a funding proposal — Build a national or international research partnership with ETFI.
From research to shared knowledge
Research can lead to many different outcomes:
- Journal articles
- Books
- Doctoral research
- Conference contributions
- Research tools
- Professional publications
But the value does not stop at publication. Findings can also shape education, inform policy, support professional decisions and create the basis for further collaboration.
What could we discover together?
Whether you have a research question, a project idea, access to valuable data or an interest in joining an international partnership, we would like to hear from you.