Estimate the Forest Recreational Values of Zhangjiajie in China Using a Contingent Valuation Method

Zhiming Leng, Yihui Lei

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DOI: 10.4236/lce.2011.22013                

Abstract

Zhangjiajie, a World Natural Heritage, is located in Chinese Wuling hinterland and rich in forest resources with cov-erage rate 64.61 percent of forest. Zhangjiajie was listed in World Natural Heritage Catalogue by the UNESCO in 1992 and is one of the most important tourism sites in China. As a leading and pillar industry, the tourism achieved remarkable effects on the economic development, where forest eco-tourism has played an important role. The purpose of this research is to estimate the forest recreational values of Zhangjiajie using a contingent valuation method (CVM). The empirical results show that non-use values account for the majority of the total values of Zhangjiajie. On this basis, the contingency table and Chi square test method are employed to test the related factors influencing tourists’ willingness to pay (WTP). The test results show that educational level and income level are the most important factors influencing WTP.

Keywords

Forest Recreation, Recreational Values, Contingent Valuation Method, Zhangjiajie

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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