The economic value of Hawai‘i beaches, site characteristics, and outdoor recreation time assessed at multiple scales under stated and revealed preference methods (of non-market valuation)
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2024
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As part of an effort to comprehensively assess the economic value of Hawai‘i’s beaches, shorelines, and coastal recreation areas, a series of studies were conducted with recreationists in the state (residents and visitors) based on two surveys. This three-paper dissertation outlines the results of three of the studies in this series and implications for management of coastal recreation sites. When making management decisions concerning outdoor recreation, shoreline access, and preservation of public space, the economic value of the beach is indispensable as an input into any cost-benefit analysis. This dissertation highlights incremental methodological improvements to and adapt contemporary methods, with all three results showing significant natural resource values for the beach itself, beach characteristics, and outdoor recreation time.
The first chapter investigates whether beach nourishment, an established beach management measure, is justified depends on its benefits and costs. We applied a discrete choice experiment at Waikīkī Beach on Oʻahu with mixed logit and latent class models to evaluate recreationists’ willingness to pay for changes in beach width and water clarity as well as the preferences for the beach as-is. Our preferred specification indicates heterogeneity among subjects, who have distinct preferences for the recreation site. Based on the beach attendance data, the aggregate willingness to pay justifies beach re-nourishment and runoff control measures.
The second chapter applies a joint estimation of stated and revealed preference recreation survey data to estimate the value of major beaches and associated characteristics on Oʻahu, Hawai‘i, including Waikīkī Beach. We make use of a Random Utility Model (RUM) to combine data from a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) and a site choice model for beach recreation, finding a WTP of $0.67 per foot of beach width and $8.45 per foot of underwater visibility.
Lastly, the third chapter estimates the value of recreational activities with consideration of substitution effects by conducting a travel cost study of visitors to Hawai‘i with a focus on recreation activity choice and time-use. We apply multiple discrete-continuous extreme value models (MDCEV) to estimate the value of major recreation activities (notably beaches) and their substitutes across the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) based on monetary and time constraints. The results demonstrate a value of $253,855 in recreational benefits per travel party per trip from beaches alone, and a total of $1,420,895 from all discretionary recreational activities per travel party per trip. This work improves on previous non-market valuations of outdoor recreation and the nearshore environment in the region by explicitly addressing tradeoffs and considering substation behavior across alternatives available to the recreationist.
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Environmental economics, Natural resource management, Recreation, Beaches, Choice modeling, Non-market valuation, Outdoor recreation, Revealed preference, Stated preference
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119 pages
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