Residents need to find attractive the place they live, whether this is a city, a town or a neighborhood. Residents are an important target group, they are the ‘insiders’ to whom the place aims to promote its attractive and distinct elements that unite and bring them together; thus, policy makers in charge of regional tourism development and marketers who initiate communication and advertising strategies need to take into consideration that the inhabitants of a region are a significant target market that they need to approach and attract (Cassel, 2008). This then, can be a developmental tool, especially in peripheral and economically vulnerable regions across Europe where residents may realize the significance of cultural economic approaches to development (Cassel, 2008; Kemp, Childers & Williams, 2012). The paper aims to examine the residents’ attitudes towards marketing Istria, Croatia for tourism purposes by promoting its cultural and natural distinct elements with the creation of networks.