The recreational cost of coral bleaching — A stated and revealed preference study of international tourists

Abstract

The welfare loss of de facto ecological damage at an internationally visited recreational site was estimated by comparing stated preference information from before and after the actual change in quality occurred. Estimates for access to the site and for access to coral reefs before and after coral bleaching and mortality hit the Western Indian Ocean in 1998 were derived using the cost of the trip as a payment vehicle. The model assumed indivisibility in consumption for the visit to these long distance specialised sites. It was found that despite losses in utility due to bleaching the tourists still visited the sites.