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Towards an Assessment Framework for the Evaluation of Failte Ireland’s Tourism Learning Network Initiative

Towards an Assessment Framework for the Evaluation of Failte Ireland’s Tourism Learning Network Initiative

Hussey, Jennifer TOWARDS AN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE EVALUATION OF FÁILTE IRELAND’S TOURISM LEARNING NETWORK INITIATIVE. In: THRICS Conference, June 2008, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

The tourism learning network (TLN) initiative was established by Fáilte Ireland in response to research indicating that the learning needs of the small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Irish tourism industry were not being met. Indeed, feedback from the SMEs indicated that they wanted training that was “short, snappy, relevant and local” . The TLNs have now been established for over two years and, although an internal assessment of each TLN is ongoing, an overall, national assessment of the TLNs has not been previously addressed until now. This is the central focus of the authors’ ongoing study. This evaluation is critical in order to determine if the TLN initiative is fulfilling its strategic intent and, if not, what adaptations need to be made to the initiative’s components to ensure its effectiveness. A key outcome of the authors’ ongoing study is to propose a ‘best practice’ model for the development and maintenance of a successful TLN. A major challenge is to determine the components involved in assessing the TLNs as such a framework has not been developed prior to this. The purpose of this paper is to present the framework which has been developed for the assessment of the TLN initiative.