RESIDENTS' PERCEPTION TOWARDS TOURISM IN AN INDUSTRIAL BRAZILIAN CITY: A CLUSTER ANALYSIS

Abstract

Joinville is the biggest city of Santa Catarina State (Brazil) and its main economic activity is industry. The service sector is expanding rapidly and tourism has been gaining momentum, especially regarding business and events. Although tourism is also an important economic activity, there were no studies about residents' perception regarding it in Joinville (SC – Brazil) until now, hence the purpose of this study. We conducted 498 surveys with residents from every neighborhood in the city. The questionnaire had 20 questions. The data were tabulated, then we performed a non-hierarchical cluster analysis. We identified four clusters: Moderate Optimists, Optimists, Sceptics and Enthusiasts, the latter being the most representative. It was concluded that Joinville residents perceive tourism positively. On the other hand, tourism needs to be planned and needs a more effective promotion. This way, residents can have a better understanding of its economic, sociocultural and environmental benefits.