Determining Optimal Method in Estimation of Economic Value of Environmental Satisfaction in the Recreational District

Sayadi, F; Moghadasi, R; Rafiee, H

Determining Optimal Method in Estimation of Economic Value of Environmental Satisfaction in the Recreational District "Taleghan Dam"

Authors

¹ Sama tecnical and vocatinal training college, Islamic Azad University, Rodehen Branch

² Assoc. Prof. Agricultural Economics Department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University.

³ Assis. Prof. of Agricultural Economics, University of Tehran

Abstract

Because of the increasing need to recreational centers in our country, study of ecotourism is a necessity. Several
methods of evaluating the environmental satisfaction have been introduced. But the efficiency of each method
has not been much discussed in case-studies. In this research, the recreational value of the district was
determined in order to study the satisfaction value of the recreational district "Taleghan dam". So, in the present
study, the effective elements of willing to pay in Taleghan dam 's visitors and also the average estimation of
their willing to pay were determined by contingency valuation method and two-stage Heckman model. The
necessary data were gathered through filling the questionnaire and verbal interview of 314 visitor in spring
and summer 2011. The results show that 86 % of under-studt visitors had the willing to pay for recreation.
Using the contingency valuation method, the willingness to pay per person per visit was estimated $1. The
variables of the recommended cost, monthly revenue of family members, educational level, satisfaction rate,
nativeness, the willingness to revisit, the seasons of spring and summer, satisfaction level are effective
elements of the willingness to pay in this method. Also, by means of two-stage Heckman method, the average
rate of the willingness to pay was 1 cent. Monthly revenue, educational level, satisfaction rate, occasions of
visiting the competitor places of Taleghan dam and satisfaction rate are the effective elements of people 's
willingness to pay in this method. The results show optimized method for determining the recreational value
of Taleghan dam was two-stage Heckman method.

Keywords