Precision of travel cost measures in estimation the recreation demand: the case of Šumava National Park
Abstract
Recreation demand models represent the core methodology for investigation of nature-based recreation patterns and recreation utility. The application depends on travel cost measure, which serves as a shadow price of visiting natural areas.
However, the determination, inclusion and specification of travel cost components vary widely among studies and there is still no consensus on the geographical and economic grounds. Rarely is travel cost data obtained directly from respondents; instead, most studies have used simplifications of journey length and time cost.
Mainly for larger recreation areas, this may strongly impact the results of the demand estimation and utility analysis. Based on a recent on-site survey in Šumava national park, this study presents a sensitivity analysis of the recreation demand results to the definition and level of accuracy of travel cost measure; we compare perceived and objectively defined travel cost measures at several simplification levels commonly used in travel cost studies, accounting also for the perception of time during the travel.
We discuss also the reliability of respondents' own assessments of journey distances and length. The study concludes with a number of practical implications for a more accurate and realistic basis for valuation in recreation demand studies and other travel-based techniques.