estimate the forest recreational values of zhangjiajie in china using a contingent valuation method估计在中国张家界的森林休闲价值使用一支估值方法.pdf

Low Carbon Economy, 2011, 2, 99-106 doi:10.4236/lce.2011.22013 Published Online June 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/lce) Estimate the Forest Recreational Values of Zhangjiajie in China Using a Contingent Valuation Method Zhiming Leng, Yihui Lei Business School, Jishou University, Hunan, China. Email: lzm9306@126.com Received March 3rd th st , 2011; revised March 30 , 2011; accepted April 21 , 2011. ABSTRACT Zhangjiajie, a World Natural Heritage, is located in Chinese Wuling hinterland and rich in forest resources with cov- erage rate 64.61 percent of forest. Zhangjiajie was listed in World Natural Heritage Catalogue by the UNESCO in 1992 and is one of the most important tourism sites in China. As a leading and pillar industry, the tourism achieved remarkable effects on the economic development, where forest eco-tourism has played an important role. The purpose of this research is to estimate the forest recreational values of Zhangjiajie using a contingent valuation method (CVM). The empirical results show that non-use values account for the majority of the total values of Zhangjiajie. On this basis, the contingency table and Chi square test method are employed to test the related factors influencing tourists’ willing- ness to pay (WTP). The test results show that educational level and income level are the most important factors influ- encing WTP. Keywords : Forest Recreation, Recreational Values, Contingent Valuation Method, Zhangjiajie 1. Introduction values and the other non-use values the CVM is the best choice. Known as the most promising valuation method Zhangjiajie, covering 1012 acres forest land, or 71 per-