Recreational value of glacier tourism resources：A travel cost analysis for Yulong Snow Mountain

Glaciers, with their unique and spectacular appearances and rich and varied terrain, have received widespread attention and become important tourist attractions. This paper uses the travel cost method to estimate the recreational value of the glacier tourism resources of Yulong Snow Mountain(also called Jade Dragon Snow Mountain), which is the most developed glacier tourist attraction in China. First-hand information was obtained through field surveys, and the travel costs of visitors visiting the Yulong Snow Mountain glacier were calculated before the method was applied to evaluate the recreational value of the focal glacier resource. The results show that the Yulong Snow Mountain consumer surplus associated with its glacier resources in 2016 ranged from 645.59-3439.10 million CNY, and the total recreational value ranged from 1.97-8.17 billion CNY. Approaches allocating travel costs across multiple recreational sites, however, can vary, and there is large difference in estimated results depending on used approaches. Nevertheless, the results of the analysis can help understand the socio-economic value of glacier resources and provide a reference for their development and protection.

Measuring Recreational Value of World Heritage Sites Based on Contingent Valuation Method:A Case Study of Jiuzhaigou

World heritage possesses various kinds of use value and non-use value. Measuring the recreational value of world heritage sites is a key issue in the heritage tourism. This paper employs Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), which is an evaluation instrument on the basis of tourists′ attitude and preference, to measure the recreational value of Jiuzhaigou, one of the World Natural Heritage sites in China, and analyzes the biases in the survey. The results show that: 1) In 2009, Jiuzhaigou′s recreational value was 3.46×108 yuan (RMB), and the per capita Willingness to Pay (WTP) was 137.31 yuan by CVM. Compared with the results of other methods, this result is significantly low. 2) Among the factors that influence Jiuzhaigou tourists′ WTP, psychological perception factors have the greatest effect while demographic and socio-economic characteristics have a small effect on WTP. 3) The virtuality in CVM creates biases both from CVM itself and in the procedures that CVM was implemented. The former includes hypothetical bias, information bias, protest response bias, and strategic bias; and the latter includes the questionnaire design, population and sample definition, sampling and data processing. The paper analyses those biases and illustrates their potential in-fluences on the accuracy of CVM measurement. 4) Although there are various defects in CVM measurement, it is still an effective valuation method.

Rural Landscape Types and Recreational Value Spatial Analysis of Valley Area of Loess Plateau:A Case of Hulu Watershed,Gansu Prov-ince,China

Rural landscape is a complex of natural landscape and human landscape, with various values. The recreational value of rural landscape is a kind of comprehensive benefit with economic, social and ecological, which is provided by the rural landscape as a recrea- tional resource. Loess Plateau is located at the junction of northern and northwestern of China, with serious water and soil erosion and fragile ecological environment. Jingning County is the national poor county, belonging to Liupanshan concentrated poverty areas. Hulu Watershed in Jingning is the typical valley area of Loess Plateau. In the past few decades, Jingning facing the fragile ecology and pov- erty, has been focusing on apple industry, forming unique rural landscape, exploring an ecological development path, and making much progress in green industrialization and urbanization. The author, according to the apple tree＇s growing stages, divided the rural landscape of Hulu Watershed into 15 types and analyzed its spatial patterns. The recreational value of Hulu Watershed was evaluated at 1.8 x 108-3.6 ~ 108 yuan （RMB） in 2014, by Travel Cost Method and Contingent Valuation Method. The territorial differentiational features of recreational value were that the higher value landscape types concentrated in the surrounding areas of towns and central vil- lages, and the areas along the traffic and river had more development potentiality. The main influence factors were the construction of rural landscape and the development of recreation industry. And the development paths of different landscape types were also proposed. The research conclusions can provide reference for the landscape exploration and recreation industry development in the similar underdeveloped areas in the valley area of Loess Plateau with fragile ecology and poverty.

Using Multi-destination ZTCM to Evaluate the Recreational Values of Cultural Sights:an Application to Jiayuguan,China

This study explained the importance of environmental protection in tourism development and illustrated the relationship between recreational resource valuation and environmental consideration.We compare different models of travel cost method and reiterates long-time existing problems of multi-destination and treats of time opportunity cost(TOC).Taking Jiayuguan's cultural sights as an example,we establish an updated method called multidestination zonal tourism cost method to evaluate the recreational values(RVs) of selected three cultural sights.We divide trip packages of Jiayuguan's tourists into 11 portfolios.Each portfolio can be seen as a separate commodity,and each commodity has its own demand curve.According to demand curves we can calculate consumer surplus(CS) of different portfolios of tourist destinations and later we sum up the total travel costs(including travel expenditure and TOC) and CS to come to the RVs of each portfolio.We then apply suitable proportions to calculate the RVs between different destinations in the portfolio.In the end,we add up all the RVs calculated for the objective destination.Using this method,we draw conclusions that Jiayuguan's RV in 2006 includes national and international values,summing up to 738.4762 million yuan.The tourist expenditure,CS and TOC of Jiayuguan is proportionating 62.96,32.28 and 4.76%,respectively.This study is also an example of non-market valuation of cultural tourism resources.

Application of CVM in Assessing Recreational Value of Industrial Heritage Landscapes:A Case Study of Ansteel Exhibition Hall

CVM(Contingent Valuation Method) was applied to assess recreational value of Ansteel Exhibition Hall,and monetization result was obtained as 72.918 million CNY per year.This result to some extent could define the value composition of the preserved industrial heritage landscapes,and provide references for the management,conservation and utilization of industrial heritage.

Applying the Travel Cost Approach for Valuing Recreation Benefits of Fthiotida Coastal Zone

Recreation and beach use constitute core aspects of coastal tourism development since they incorporate various stakeholders at different levels and diverse activities. This research investigates the economical recreational value of the coastal zone between Molos and Arkitsa, in prefecture of Fthiotida, in Sterea Ellada region, in Greece. The study area provides substantial benefits to host community and remains an advantageous natural setting for tourism sustainable development. An economic valuation of the benefits largely assists the efforts of the local authorities to establish viable tourism products and preferred destination attributes. The travel cost method was used to estimate recreation demand. Based on personal and on site interviews 1,433 questionnaires were collected. The consumer surplus per day enjoyed by the visitors is 22,352.28 （Euros）. The analysis assigned a considerable value to the coastal zone. Results shed light on core issues such as environmental management and proper resource allocation in view of finding areas for further improvement so as to increase consumer surplus by satisfying the needs and wants of coastal visitors.

Residents’Perception of the Recreational Value of Forest Parks:A Case Study in Shanghai,China

Forest parks provide important recreational and tourism bene?ts to residents,so it is essential to know what residents’perceptions are regarding the recreational value of forest parks for participatory forest planning and management.This study investigated forest park recreational value in the physical,psychological,and social dimensions in Shanghai according to questionnaires completed by 658 respondents,and examined the relationships between recreational value and residents’social variables by multiple correspondence analysis(MCA).The results show the following:1)The recreational value of forest parks is perceived as most important in the psychological dimension,while in the social dimension it is appreciated the least.2)In terms of the differences in forest park recreational value in suburbs and rural areas,the social value in rural areas had significantly higher scores than in the suburbs,and the psychological value in suburbs is much higher than that in the rural areas.3)Regarding the social variables which characterize residents in suburbs and rural areas,females and younger groups tended to assign higher scores to recreational value than males and older groups.Moreover,citizens with low education or low income also assigned higher scores to recreational value compared to more educated or higher-income residents.The results of this study reveal the recreational value characteristics of Shanghai forest parks in the three dimensions,which can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of urban forest resources and contribute to reasonable planning and management.

Ecotourism Potentials for Financing Parks and Protected Areas＂ A Perspective From Iran＇s Parks

Ecotourism has been considered as the impetus and economic investment for management of natural resources. The current research uses data mining from the recreation values of Iran＇s parks and separating influential factors on visitors＇ willingness to pay （WTP）. This study delves into the main findings of 31 researches applied to assess the recreation value of 33 different parks across Iran from 2004 to 2011. Those researches collected 9,216 questionnaires in total. It was conducted using R software and Rattle user interface to analyze gathered data and information. Results showed that 69% of respondents were male. The averages of age and academic years were 34.4 and 13.7 respectively. The majority of the visitors were willing to pay money to visit the parks. Variables of education levels, household size, marital status, age, and bid amount had an effect on visitors＇ rate of WTP for visiting, and variables of gender, education levels, and marital status affected the general amount of WTP. The average amount of WTP per person was estimated at US $1.4, and the average annual recreation value for each hectare of parks was calculated at US $2,313. This study provides justification for the decision to support the quality of Iran＇s parks.