Customer Interchange of Tourist Attractions:

Although a great deal of money and effort is dedicated to attracting the traveling tourist, the value and influence of the local resident market segment should not be underestimated. This paper presents a case for segmenting tourist markets to include local residents as a viable and distinct target market. Data collected from 311 area residents is analyzed via customer interchange analysis and cluster analysis. The results indicate that local residents fall into three distinct clusters and that local attractions tend to share these customers. Marketing implications in the form of joint marketing programs, local resident influence and public policy are presented.