Wetlands have a fundamental role in the maintenance and development of the global ecosystem and human health. Assessing the value of Ecosystem Services (ES) that wetlands provide is strictly related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This paper considers the Oristanese Reclamation District located in the Italian region of Sardinia, where the highest amount of water resources is used for irrigation. Moreover, the study area is characterized by the presence of numerous ponds and wetlands that are deeply interconnected with local agriculture, attracting a substantial number of tourists. This paper aims to evaluate the touristic value in the area by applying the travel cost method, a non-market evaluation method used to derive consumers' preferences. Through secondary data, we obtained a total estimate of economic benefits from the recreational uses of the site of approximately euro1.25 Mln/year. The results provide support to decision-makers for improving management options while ensuring a tradeoff between the economic benefits derived from tourist activities and the conservation of the wetland area.

Vincenzo Rusciano, Myriam Ruberto, Silvia Baralla, Nunzia Gabriella Fasolino, Emilia Pellegrini, Raffaella Zucaro (2023). Assessing the Touristic Activities of Wetlands through the Travel Cost Method: A Case Study. WATER, 15(23), 1-17 [10.3390/w15234146].

Assessing the Touristic Activities of Wetlands through the Travel Cost Method: A Case Study

Nunzia Gabriella Fasolino;Emilia Pellegrini;
2023

Abstract

Wetlands have a fundamental role in the maintenance and development of the global ecosystem and human health. Assessing the value of Ecosystem Services (ES) that wetlands provide is strictly related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This paper considers the Oristanese Reclamation District located in the Italian region of Sardinia, where the highest amount of water resources is used for irrigation. Moreover, the study area is characterized by the presence of numerous ponds and wetlands that are deeply interconnected with local agriculture, attracting a substantial number of tourists. This paper aims to evaluate the touristic value in the area by applying the travel cost method, a non-market evaluation method used to derive consumers' preferences. Through secondary data, we obtained a total estimate of economic benefits from the recreational uses of the site of approximately euro1.25 Mln/year. The results provide support to decision-makers for improving management options while ensuring a tradeoff between the economic benefits derived from tourist activities and the conservation of the wetland area.
2023
Vincenzo Rusciano, Myriam Ruberto, Silvia Baralla, Nunzia Gabriella Fasolino, Emilia Pellegrini, Raffaella Zucaro (2023). Assessing the Touristic Activities of Wetlands through the Travel Cost Method: A Case Study. WATER, 15(23), 1-17 [10.3390/w15234146].
Vincenzo Rusciano; Myriam Ruberto; Silvia Baralla; Nunzia Gabriella Fasolino; Emilia Pellegrini; Raffaella Zucaro
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/962301
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