The Economic Value of Water and Ecosystem Preservation

3.3.2. The Economics of Multiple Nature Tourism Services
Ecotourism in the San Antonio Bay can have a significant impact on the local
economy. For example, in 2003 more than 71,000 people visited the Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge to view flocks of migratory birds and other wildlife,
thereby providing the region with an important source of income. According to
Diane Probst, executive director of the Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of
Commerce, tourists that came to visit Aransas brought in more than $5 million to
the local economy (Hudgins, 2005). Ecotourists provide business to hotels,
nature-tour operators and restaurants located in the nearby towns of Seadrift,
Port Lavaca, Rockport-Fulton, Port Aransas, and others. Many of the bed and
breakfasts attract ecotourists by publicizing their proximity to birding sites, and in
particular, advertise opportunities to view whooping cranes. They also promote
butterfly and wildlife watching. For example, the owners of the previously
mentioned Johnson Ranch also run a bed and breakfast, the Crane House,
which is located adjacent to the protected portion of the property. The bed and
breakfast caters to photographers and ecotourists by advertising its proximity to
ANWR and by offering a variety of outdoor experiences, which include wildlife
viewing opportunities and kayak rentals. They charge guests from $125 to $245
per night and offer a birding list for the property (Crane House, 2005). In
addition, various hotels, RV parks, nature tours and outdoor recreation stores
advertise their role in the ecotourism industry and the availability of good birding
opportunities located nearby (Mathis, 2004a).
“Birding tours operating out of Rockport/ Fulton harbor reported the number
of its annual customers has grown to between 8,000 and 10,000 from less than
1,000 a decade ago (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2002a).” These tours
can range from $10/person for a one-hour “nature-watching” and dolphin tour to
several hundred dollars for a full day of birdwatching, thereby generating
significant income for the area. Although most ecotourists to the area are there
for the usual sights, business can pick up considerably if someone he takes out
on a tour spots a rare species and posts a picture to their website (Sims, 2005).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimate that each sighting of a rare bird
species may bring an added $100,000 into a community as people rush in to see
the bird, and once there, get a hotel and eat a few meals (Hudgins, 2005).
Birders can sign up for various web sites, cell phone text services and email
notifications that will send them alerts notifying them of a rare bird in the area.
In response to the growth of the ecotourism industry, private ranches around
the San Antonio Bay have also begun to establish ecotourism operations. The
Womack Ranch sells ecotourism passes for birding, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
They offer kayaking and canoeing, as well as birding and walking loops. During
migration seasons, they employ guides to conduct butterflies and bird tours
(Womack Family Ranch, 2003).
Along with the year-round ecotourism opportunities, the San Antonio Bay
region hosts several annual organized events that take advantage of yearly bird
migrations, thus attracting large numbers of ecotourists. Anne Vaughan,
Executive Director of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce noted that “people
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