Browsing by Subject "ympäristön arvottaminen"

This thesis has three objectives, namely to estimate the recreational value of a Baltic Sea visit, to assess the impact of substitute sites on the value of a recreational visit, and to assess which factors determine whether a visitor has a substitute site for the Baltic Sea if recreation at the preferred site is not possible. No previous Finnish studies have been conducted on this topic, even though the impact of substitute sites is important in the valuation of a recreational site. This thesis uses the single-site travel cost method to assess the recreational value of the Baltic Sea. The travel cost method is the most frequently used valuation method to assign a monetary value to the recreational services of an environmental resource. To answer the first objective, this thesis employ the single-site travel cost method using the negative binomial model. To answer the second objective, substitutes are entered into the single-site travel cost model as dummy variable and travel cost interaction variable. According to the results of this thesis, the recreational value of a visit to the Baltic Sea is worth between 180 € and 420 €. As expected, substitutes decrease the demand for recreational sites, but, contrary to expectations, the overall value of a single visit to the Baltic Sea is higher among respondents who have substitutes compared to respondents who do not have substitutes. To answer the third objective, the logistic regression model is employed. Based on the results of the model, whether an individual has substitute sites depends on demographics, the number of recreational activities at the Baltic Sea, the timing of the visit and the perceived number of facilities at the Baltic Sea.