146 Celebrating <strong>Mountains</strong> – An <strong>International</strong> <strong>Year</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Conference Jindabyne, New South Wales, Australia
Tourism Value Of The Australi<strong>an</strong> <strong>Alps</strong> Trevor Mules <strong>an</strong>d Natalie Stoeckl This research was jointly funded by the Australi<strong>an</strong> <strong>Alps</strong> Liaison Committee <strong>an</strong>d the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. Trevor Mules is coordinator <strong>of</strong> the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism , C<strong>an</strong>berra node, at the University <strong>of</strong> C<strong>an</strong>berra. Natalie Stoeckl was a lecturer in economics at the University <strong>of</strong> C<strong>an</strong>berra when this research was conducted. She is now employed by CSIRO, Townsville. Introduction The Australi<strong>an</strong> <strong>Alps</strong> attracts visitors from across the nation <strong>an</strong>d from overseas. The research in this paper focuses upon both the value that such visitors place on the alps for recreational use, <strong>an</strong>d the economic impact <strong>of</strong> visitor expenditure on the State economies <strong>of</strong> Victoria, NSW, <strong>an</strong>d the ACT. Data for the study was collected via a 12 month sample survey <strong>of</strong> visitors from February 2000 to March 2001. Questionnaires for self-completion were distributed at visitor information centres, accommodation places, entry gates, ski chairlifts, retail outlets, <strong>an</strong>d in situ on the mountains. A $500 lottery prize <strong>an</strong>d post-paid return envelopes encouraged visitors to respond. There were 4791 useable responses, distributed as follows: Victori<strong>an</strong> <strong>Alps</strong> 1,500 NSW <strong>Alps</strong> 3,096 ACT <strong>Alps</strong> 195 In this paper, the results <strong>of</strong> the survey that are pertinent are the origins <strong>of</strong> visitors, which were collected at postcode level, <strong>an</strong>d their expenditure. The latter was collected according to the major items <strong>of</strong> trip expenditure such as accommodation, tr<strong>an</strong>sport, ski lift tickets, food <strong>an</strong>d drink, etc. Visitor Use Values – The Travelcost Method For m<strong>an</strong>y years economic theory has acknowledged the m<strong>an</strong>y non-fin<strong>an</strong>cial benefits attributable to the environment <strong>an</strong>d has attempted to develop me<strong>an</strong>s <strong>of</strong> measuring them. Although the exact classifications vary, at the broadest level economists tend to divide these benefits into the broad categories <strong>of</strong> ‘use’ <strong>an</strong>d ‘non-use’ benefits. Use benefits are those which are derived from direct use <strong>of</strong> the environment. Examples <strong>of</strong> these include the benefits <strong>of</strong> Recreation <strong>an</strong>d Tourism, the value <strong>of</strong> goods produced, the value <strong>of</strong> maintaining <strong>an</strong>d/or improving environmental quality, the value <strong>of</strong> biodiversity, educational <strong>an</strong>d research values. Non-use benefits are those benefits which are derived from the environment without actually using it. Examples <strong>of</strong> these include: the benefit <strong>of</strong> preserving the environment for future use (the option value); the satisfaction derived from being able to pass the area on to other generations (the bequest value); <strong>an</strong>d the benefit <strong>of</strong> simply “knowing that the area is there”, even if there is no intention <strong>of</strong> ever using it (the existence value). Celebrating <strong>Mountains</strong> – An <strong>International</strong> <strong>Year</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Conference Jindabyne, New South Wales, Australia 147