A recreation site demand and benefit estimation model

Abstract

Cesario F. J. and Knetsch J. L. (1976) A recreation site demand and benefit estimation model, Reg. Studies 10, 97–104. A model useful for estimating both the numbers of visits per unit time attracted to recreation sites in a region and the primary social benefits associated with these sites is developed. The visitor component of the model predicts use as a function of the characteristics of population centers, recreation sites and spatial separation. The benefits component of the model estimates aggregate willingness to pay using an extension of the familiar Clawson-Knetsch travel cost technique. Novel features of the model include incorporation of a way to capture substitution effects of price changes and inclusion of a measure of time cost as well as money cost in the analysis. An application is provided.