Divers’ willingness to pay to visit marine sanctuaries: an exploratory study

Entrance fees paid by divers to enter marine sanctuaries constitute a significant potential revenue source to finance coral reef conservation. An exploratory contingent valuation study was carried out among foreign and local tourists in three major dive destinations in the Philippines to examine diver demand for visits to protected coral reef areas. Results indicate that most divers would be willing to pay an entrance fee to marine sanctuaries where fishing, one of the major threats to coral reefs, is prohibited. An econometric model was estimated analyzing the socioeconomic and travel related factors that affect divers’ willingness to pay. Results indicate that substantial amounts of revenues may be collected through entrance fees to support coral reef conservation. Most tourists interviewed preferred NGOs as the most trustworthy organization type to collect and manage entrance fees.