International Ecotourism and the Valuation of Tropical Rainforests in Costa Rica

Tropical rainforests have many values beyond the timber they hold and their potential as sites for agriculture and cattle grazing. This study examined one of these additional values, rainforests as places for ecotourism. 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 Costa Ricaʹs protected areas. The valuation method used was the travel cost model, a non-market valuation approach which uses travel expenses as a proxy for the value of the park. Data were collected by a survey of 240 U.S. tourists. This study found that the value placed by U.S. ecotourists on visiting Costa Rican rainforests was $1150 per visit. This value can be used in policy making to better assess all the alternative land uses available.