Measuring the Social Recreation Per-Day Net Benefit of the Wildlife Amenities of a National Park: A Count-Data Travel-Cost Approach

Abstract

In this article, we apply count-data travel-cost methods to a truncated sample of visitors to estimate the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PGNP) average consumer surplus (CS) for each day of visit. The measurement of recreation demand is highly specific because it is calculated by number of days of stay per visit. We therefore propose the application of altered truncated count-data models or truncated count-data models on grouped data to estimate a single, on-site individual recreation demand function, with the price (cost) of each recreation day per trip equal to out-of-pocket and time travel plus out-of-pocket and on-site time costs. We further check the sensitivity of coefficient estimations to alternative models and analyse the welfare measure precision by using the delta and simulation methods by Creel and Loomis. With simulated limits, CS is estimated to be <euro>194 (range <euro>116 to <euro>448). This information is of use in the quest to improve government policy and PNPG management and conservation as well as promote nature-based tourism. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure the average recreation net benefits of each day of stay generated by a national park by using truncated altered and truncated grouped count-data travel-cost models based on observing the individual number of days of stay.

Recreation demand and pricing policy for international tourists in developing countries: evidence from South Africa

“…Following Bell and Leeworthy (1990), Burt and Brewer (1971), Hof and King (1992), Kealy and Bishop (1986), and Mendes and Proença (2011), we use the number of days on site as the dependent variable. Such a formulation has the advantage that it represents a homogeneous recreationdemand relationship, in that the dependent variable is a single recreation day rather than trips of different lengths (Mendes and Proença 2011). The use of recreation days as the dependent variable has long been shown to be consistent with utility maximization theory, if one estimates the relationship as a function of net variable costs per day, including the opportunity cost of on-site time (McConnell 1975).…”

“…In the current paper, we address this issue by using the number of days on site as the dependent variable. This approach has been applied occasionally in the literature (see Bell and Leeworthy 1990;Burt and Brewer 1971;Hof and King 1992;Kealy and Bishop 1986;Mendes and Proença 2011;Mulwa, Kabubo-Mariara, and Nyangena 2018). We argue that it has an advantage, since the number of recreational days at the site offers better information about recreational demand by international tourists than the number of previous trips.…”

Assessing ecotourism potential of hiking trails: A framework to incorporate ecological and cultural features and seasonality

“…Also, informal trails (created by visitors) contribute substantially to impact natural resources, due to their lack of professional construction and management (Marion & Leung, 2011). Impacts can increase significantly in 'hot' seasons, especially in national parks located in mountain summits, as is the case of the Peneda-Gerês National Park (Mendes & Proença, 2011). Respecting the carrying capacity of the natural system where recreation takes place is crucial to preserve species and habitats.…”

“…However, unmanaged tourism events are common in the Peneda-Gerês National Park. The park has uneven recreation demand, with peaks in summer, but there is no data regarding the annual visitors to this area (Mendes & Proença, 2011). Thus, this park constitutes a perfect research model to study how our approach can help in dispersing tourists throughout the year and alleviating the negative impacts of mass tourism.…”

Valoración económica del servicio recreativo de playa en Los Cabos, Baja California Sur (BCS), México: Una aplicación del Método de Costo de Viaje

“…Los beneficios económicos de los servicios recreativos en Los Cabos son positivos y medulares en la economía del estado de BCS, nuestro ejercicio dio por resultado un EC por estadía por visitante de USD$ 4,941.22 con un promedio de 8.4 días y un valor de los beneficios económicos agregados por estadía de USD$5,830.64 millones. Estos valores, aunque mayores, son congruentes con los reportados por diversos autores para otros sitios turísticos alrededor del mundo (Riera-Font, 2000;Fleming y Cook;2008, Mendes y Proenca, 2011Chae et al, 2012).…”