| Abstract: | This paper considers the evaluation of a programme designed to improve the contribution of tourism to the economy of industrial South Wales. The evaluation of the Network of Excellence for Action in Tourism (NEAT) initiative is compared with recent thinking around two key areas of research into tourism and economic regeneration. First, is the need for alternative (non‐traditional) approaches to evaluation, and second, is the need for effective networks of communication between tourism employers to facilitate the effective demand for skills. This paper analyses the claim that tourism development programmes offer significant advantages other than those commonly identified by funding specifications. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
