Implications of willingness-to-pay of tourists for forest restoration: The case of Mount Arayat Protected Landscape in Pampanga, Philippines

Roy Joven Amatus; Margaret Calderon; Canesio Predo; Nathaniel Bantayan; Rico Ancog

Roy Joven R. Amatus Department of Forestry and Agroforestry, College of Agricultural Systems and Technology, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines
Margaret M. Calderon Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines
Canesio D. Predo Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines
Nathaniel C. Bantayan Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines
Rico C. Ancog School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines

Keywords: contingent valuation, fund management, payment card method, protected area, sustainable financing

Abstract

Ecological restoration of protected areas is a key measure to ensure the conservation of critical biological resources and natural assets and provide various environmental and societal benefits. Mount Arayat Protected Landscape is one of the Centers of Plant Diversity in the Philippines. It requires forest restoration as it has long been diagnosed as a degraded resource and a crucial precautionary strategy against decreasing forest cover as influenced by climate change and anthropogenic factors. This study aimed to determine the willingness of tourists to support forest restoration of this protected area through an entrance fee surcharge. The contingent valuation method, using a payment card as an elicitation technique, was employed in this study. Two modes of survey interview were conducted: one through a personal interview and one through an online survey. Results showed that from the 385 responses assessed, 81% of the respondents are willing to pay an additional entrance fee to support forest restoration, with more “yes” responses recorded under the online survey (85%) than in the personal interview (78%). The primary reasons for the respondents’ positive response arise from their non-use value, altruistic value, and bequest value for MAPL. These results imply that increasing the existing entry fee is a feasible and sensible strategy to increase revenue in Mount Arayat Protected Landscape. The computed mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) ranges from PHP 29 (USD 0.52) to PHP 47 (USD 0.85) obtained from the personal interview and online survey. Combining the data for both survey modes, the computed mean WTP was PHP 38 (USD 0.69). Rounding off these estimates, the projected additional revenue from the entrance fee surcharged was from PHP 990,000 (USD 20,000) to PHP 1,650,000 (USD 36,667) annually, assuming a visitation of 33,000 tourists yr–1, as recorded. This could cover the cost of the proposed 500-ha forest restoration program from 9 to 15 years of operation, assuming a PHP 15 M project costs.