The price we pay: Ecotourism’s contribution to conservation

Corrie Haley Department of Environmental and Natural Resources

Economics, University of Rhode Island

Ecotourism

n  Relatively new concept n  Responsible travel to natural areas n  Sustains the local culture n  Contribute to conservation

n  (Lindberg 2001)

n  Why Costa Rica? n  ~5% biodiversity n  Wide range of ecosystems

Conservation

n  Sensible and careful use of natural resources

n  Includes n  environmental education n  land purchase n  land protection n  legal actions

n  (Hunter 2002)

Purpose

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the

revenue from ecotourism activities is being spent on conservation of the Cloud

Forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Methods

n  Study Site n  Monteverde, Costa Rica

n  Survey n  Tourists (40) n  Ecotourism

Companies(3), Reserves (2) & Monteverde Conservation League

n  Contingent Choice Method

Contingent Choice Method Example

8. Of the two options, which would you be most likely to choose? Forest A: A well protected old growth and partially regenerated forest, with a dense canopy, numerous species of birds, monkeys, lizards as well as other small vertebrates and invertebrates. Prior to entering the forest you are educated as to what you may see, which of the dirt trails to use and general “forest etiquette”. For this experience you will have to pay an entrance fee of $______.

YES NO Forest B: A mixture of old growth forest and regenerated forest, with a dense canopy at times, many birds of the same species, some monkeys, and a few other small vertebrates and invertebrates. After paying your entrance fee of $_____, you enter the wide, paved trails with a map of the reserve.

YES NO

9.68%

Ecotourism’s contribution

18,000, 9%

40,000, 20%

60,000, 30%

78,000, 39%

4,000, 2%

1,000, 0%

SECFR

Sky Walk Sky Trek

MCFR

Santuario Ecologico

SelvaTura

Monteverde Conservation League

Yearly Distribution of Visitors in the Zone

Where are tourists spending their money?

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

$70

$80

Souvenirs Transportation Hotel Ecotourism Activities Meals

How money is being spent in Monteverde

Amount spent ($)

Average amount of money spent by tourists in Monteverde, Costa Rica between 10/26/2006 and 11/14/2006.

16%

8%

14%

1%

31%

30%

SelvaTura

Sky Walk & Sky Trek

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

Ecological Farm

Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve

Other

What Ecotourism Activities are Tourists Participating in?

Number of visitors who participate in ecotourism activities and reserves that are visited in

Monteverde, Costa Rica between 10/26/2006 and 11/14/2006.

Tourists willingness to pay

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

A B

Reserve Described

Number of Respondents

YesNo

The number of respondents who were willing to pay a given entrance fee for the

hypothetical reserve described in the tourist survey.

Where is the money going?

n  The majority of the money is being spent on hotels (~US$68) n  Ecotourism activities are a close second with an average of (~US$60) n  Contributors

n  Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (60%) n  Santa Elena Reserve

n  Monteverde Conservation League – BEN (~100%) n  Non-Contributors (Greenwashers)

n  SelvaTura n  Sky Walk Sky Trek

n  Tourists willing to contribute n  87.5% of the tourists were willing to pay for a well protected forest

Proposition for the future

n  97.5% tourists would readily pay US$1, if they were guaranteed that it would be contributed to conservation efforts.

n  Voluntary ecotax n  Children’s Eternal

Rainforest

Three years after my study, we are

experiencing an economic recession…

…What will be the impacts on ecotourism in Monteverde, Costa Rica?

What will this mean for conservation?