About Us
As a global leader in sustainable tourism development, GW’s International Institute of Tourism Studies has been helping to solve critical industry challenges for more than 40 years of experience. Our applied research and technical assistance projects focus on sustainable tourism planning, destination management, tourism governance, sustainability monitoring, visitor management, and Indigenous tourism. Our program has been formally recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization for outstanding research contributions to destinations.
Sustainability Underlies Everything That We Do
We provide cutting-edge, interdisciplinary solutions that support sustainable tourism development and help destination decision-makers —including government, private sector, NGOs, and community leaders—to balance tourism growth with responsible stewardship.
- Improve the long-term competitiveness of tourism destinations and businesses.
- Establish realistic means of monitoring, measuring, and reporting on. improvements and change.' Enhance the well-being of communities as healthy places to visit, live, and invest.
- Protect the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of tourism destinations.
Collaboration is Key
The GW International Institute of Tourism Studies ensures that tourism businesses, destination leaders, and community stakeholders are involved in every aspect of the work t we do together. Our goal is to empower local tourism expertise through technical assistance, education, and training.
Our Team
The GW International Institute of Tourism Studies team includes research scholars based in the United States and around the world, as well as three full-time staff members: an executive director, a center administrator, and a program associate. On a project basis, we also partner with external consultants, and we employ graduate students from the Master of Science in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management (MS THEM) program to support our research.
This collaborative approach enables us to draw from diverse expertise in areas such as Indigenous tourism development, tourism policy, sustainable development, climate resilience, cultural heritage conservation, and destination management. With a proven track record of working with leading organizations, government agencies, and businesses across the Caribbean, the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, our team combines theoretical knowledge with practical industry insights to deliver impactful solutions tailored to the unique needs of our clients.