Tourism Recreational Value of Environmental and Tourism Resources: Case Study of Ganjnameh Zone in Hamedan Province

Subject Areas : Agricultural Economics Research

حمید Balali ¹ , حبیب Shahbazi ² , میلاد Hakimpoor ³

1 - دانشیار گروه اقتصاد کشاورزی دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان
2 - استادیار گروه اقتصاد کشاورزی دانشگاه سیدجمال‌الدین اسدآبادی، اسدآباد.
3 - دانشجوی کارشناسی‌ارشد گروه اقتصاد کشاورزی دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان

Received: 2016-01-24 Accepted : 2018-05-30 Published : 2018-06-22

Keywords: Willingness to pay, Hamadan, Recreation Value, Ganjnameh,

Abstract :

    Economic valuation of environmental resources that in addition of turism application, having historical value, is a great part of economic studies. Economic valuation is necessary for non-market services and environmental resources. The main purpose of this study is estimating the recreation value of Ganjnameh tourist zone located in Hamedan province by using individual travel cost method on the basis of household production function. Needed data were gathered by completing of queationaires and interviewing with 160 visitors of the Ganjnameh zone at 2014.  The results showed that the variables of travel time, distance and costs of travel were effective factors on production of recreation cost and recreation marginal cost. With the assumption of competitive conditions recreation value was 2876702 Rials per day (shadow price of recreation). Also, the results showed that demand for recreation had negative relationship with the shadow price of recreation and positive relationship with visitor monthly income. Furthermore, visitor’s willingness to pay (WTP) in Ganjname tourist zone had significant and positive relationship with quality of the environment, education level, age and marriage status of visitor. So, increasing environmental quality and preparing facilities in Ganjnameh by private sector investing would increase environmental and recreation value of Ganjnameh zone.

References:

- Anderson, D. M. (2010). Estimating the Economic Value of Ice Climbing in Hyalite Canyon: an Application of Travel Cost Count Data Models that Account for Excess Zeros, Journal of Environmental Management, 91: 1012-1020.

- Backer., G. (1965). A theory of the allocation of Time, Economic Journal, 75: 493-517.

- Benson, C., Watson, P., Taylor, G., Cook, P., & Hollenhorst, S. (2013). Who Visits a National Park and What Do They Get Out of It?: a Joint Visitor Cluster Analysis and Travel Cost Model for Yellowstone National Park. Environmental Management, 52(4): 917-928.

- Bockstael, N. E., Strand, I. E., & Hanemann, W. M. (1987), Time and the Recreation Demand Model, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 69:293- 302.

- Bruzelius., N. (1979). The Value of Travel Time, Theory and Measurement. London, Croom Helm.

- Clawson., M. & Knetsch, J. (1966). Economics of outdoor recreation, John Hopkins University Press. Washington DC.

- El-Bekkay, M., Moukrim, A., & Benchakroun, F. (2013). an Economic Assessment of The Ramsar Site of Massa (Morocco) with Travel Cost and Contingent Valuation Methods, African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 7(6): 441-447.

- Fixon, W. & Pangapanga, Ph. (2016). Economic Valuation of Recreation at Lengwe National Park in Malawi, Journal of Scientific Research & Reports, 11(5): 1-10

- Godar. A., & Ghiyasi, S. (2014). Economic Evaluation of Delfard Region by Travel Cost Method, Journal of Applied Environmental and Biological Sciences, 4(3): 273-277.

- Guo, Z.; Xiao, X.; Gan, Y. & Zheng, Y. (2001). Ecosystem Functions, Services and Their Values a Case Studies in Xingshan Country of China, Ecological Economics, 38:141-154.

- Hanemann, W.M. (1994). Valuing the Environment Through CartingentValuation, Journal Economic Perspect. 8.

- Hanley, N, & Spash, C. L. (1993). Cost- Benefit Analysis and the Environment, Hants. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

- Hotelling., H. (1931). The Economics of Exhaustible Resources, Journal of Political Economy. 39: 137-175.

- Juárez, S. A., & Cañete, B. R. (2013). Valuation of the recreational use of the Calares del Mundo and Sima Natural Park through the Travel Cost Method. Forest Systems, 22(2), 189-201.

- Kant, S. (2007). Economic Perspectives and Analyses of Multiple Forest Values and Sustainable Forest Management, Forest Policy and Economics, (9): 733-740.

- Kawsar., M. H., Al Pavel1., M. A., Uddin., M. B., Rahman., S. A., Al Mamun., S. A., Hassan., S. B., Alam., M. S., Tamrakar., R., & Abdul Wadud, M.D. (2015). Quantifying Recreational Value and the Functional Relationship Between Travel Cost and Visiting National Park, International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 1 (3): 84-89

- McConnell, K. E., & Strand, I. E. (1981). Measuring the Cost of Time in Recreational Demand Analysis: An Application to Sport Fishing, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 63.

- Mohammadi Limaei, S., Ghesmati, H., Rashidi, R., Yamini, N. (2014). Economic Evaluation of Natural Forest Park Using the Travel Cost Method (Case Study; Masouleh Forest Park, North of Iran). Journal of Forest Science, 60(6): 254–261.

- Muryani, A., Prabugati, G. (2016). An Economic Valuation of Ecotourism Using Travel Cost Method Approach, International Journal of Research in Advent Technology, 4 (12):56-63.

- Nichols, L. M., Bowes, M. & Dwyer, J. F. (1978). Reflecting Travel Time in Travel-Cost- Based Estimates of Recreation Use and Value, Department of Forestry Research Report, University of Illinois.

- Pajooyan., J. (1978). The Effect of Congestion on Demand for Outdoor Recreation: with the Empirical Analysis of Cross Country Skiing, Ph.D. Dissertation, Unpublished, U.S. Utah University.

- Pérez-Álvarez, R., Torres-Ortega, S., Díaz-Simal, P., Husillos-Rodríguez, R. & Manuel De Luis-Ruiz, J. (2016). Economic Valuation of Mining Heritage from a Recreational Approach: Application to the Case of El Soplao Cave in Spain (Geosite UR004), Sustainability, 8:1-15.

- Pirikiya, M., Amirnejad, H., Oladi, J. & Ataie Solout, K., (2016).  Determining the recreational value of forest park by travel cost method and defining its effective factors,  Journal of Forest Science, 62:(9): 399–406

- Pollak, R. A., & Wachter, M L., (1975). The Relevance of the Household Production Function and Its Implications for the Allocation of Time, Journal of Political Economy, 83( 2): 255-277.

- Randall., A. (1994). A Difficulty with the Travel Cost Method, Land Economics, 70(1): 88-96.

- Small, V. K., & Desrousges, W.H. (1987). an Empirical Analysis of the Economic Value of Risk Changes, Journal Political Economics, 95: 89-114.

- Willis., K. G. (1991). The recreational values of forestry commission estate in Great Britain: A Clawson-Knetsch travel cost analysis Scottish, Journal of Political Economy, 38: 58-75.