INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM AND THE VALUATION OF TROPICAL RAIN-FORESTS IN COSTA-RICA

Tropical rainforests have many values beyond the timber they hold and their potential as sites for agriculture and cattle grazing. This stud y examined one of these additional values, rainforests as places for e cotourism. The study determined the value that tourists from the U.S. place on Costa Rican rainforests as ecotourism destinations, using the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve as a sampling site for tourism to Cos ta Rica's protected areas. The valuation method used was the travel co st model, a non-market valuation approach which uses travel expenses a s a proxy for the value of the park. Data were collected by a survey o f 240 U.S. tourists. This study found that the value placed by U.S. ec otourists on visiting Costa Rican rainforests was $1150 per visit. Thi s value can be used in policy making to better assess all the alternat ive land uses available. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited