Tourism is today one of the most important resources for regional economic development and it is becoming an even more important economic factor in the new Millennium. This was the assumption on which ALEXALA was established, a new agency born with the goal of giving useful tools for the development and capitalization of tourism in the Alessandria district. Alexala is thus following two directions: first of all it is setting up a "market oriented" tourism capable of meeting or, better, anticipating, the demand and needs of tourists following a "customer satisfaction" approach. Secondly, it is promoting contacts between public and private activities.