Assessing the Recreational Value of a National Forest Park from Ecotourists' Perspective in Taiwan

Abstract

The Huisun National Forest Recreation Area (HNFRA), which preserves over 85% of the forest to its natural state, provides many forest services, including environmental exploration, ecological conservation, recreation, and ecotourism in Taiwan. This study used analytical methods to analyze the recreational demands that influence tourists’ visits and the recreational value of tourism. The travel cost method (TCM) and the zero-truncated negative binomial regression model to assess the recreational value were chosen. The results revealed that the travel costs for nonlocal visitors were higher than those for local visitors by NT$818.59. The recreational demand was negatively correlated to income and had a significantly positive correlation with place of residence, age, and length of stay. The estimated annual recreational value of HNFRA was NT$3237 per person, and the total annual recreational value was NT$347,270,560. Raising the idea that recreational demand and the willingness to consume has a direct impact on the recreational value. Enhancing the site’s recreational value will be beneficial to ecotourists’ experiences and the management of HNFRA.