Title:
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A GIS approach to implementing and improving benefit transfer models for the valuation of rural recreational resources
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Organisations managing recreational sites commonly need to understand the factors
influencing visitation choices made by the public and the impact they have on the
value of their sites. This need is particularly pertinent with an increasing societal
reliance on cost benefit analysis for project appraisal. Whilst on-site visitor surveys
can provide information on preferences and values, the potential to transfer findings to
predict visitor numbers and values at unsurveyed sites provides an attractive policy
option. Indeed, the demand for these benefit transfer methodologies is increasing as
more Government emphasis is placed on evaluating the economic potential of rural
outdoor recreation.
This research concerns the development of benefit transfer models to estimate visitor
numbers from outset zones to British Waterways and Forestry Commission sites.
Employing a GIS, the research uses multilevel statistical modelling techniques to
quantify the impacts of the proximity to competing recreation sites, resource
accessibility and quality, and the characteristics of visiting populations. The models
are constructed using visitor survey data and applied to unsurveyed sites, testing their
use in benefit transfer. Methods are also developed that allow their output to be used to
estimate the non-market value of the recreational opportunities afforded by the
resources.
The findings show some robust relationships determined visit patterns, with travel
times from outset zones being a consistent predictor of visitor numbers. A range of
other indicators were also significant including socio-demographic measures, site
characteristics and substitute availability values. Nevertheless, when individual sites
were compared, considerable variability was detected in the strength and direction of
these relationships.
The methodology developed explicitly addresses the frequently ignored spatial
dimension of benefit transfer. Here the GIS provides the functionality to produce a
range of measures of the underlying determinants of recreational visits. Although
further refinements are needed, the future for spatial benefit transfer models appears
promising.
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