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Assessing the Impact of Biodiversity on Tourism Flows: A model for Tourist Behaviour and its Policy Implications

Author

Listed:
  • Giulia Macagno

    (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)

  • Maria Loureiro

    (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela)

  • Paulo A.L.D. Nunes

    (University of Venice and FEEM)

  • Richard Tol

    (The Economic and Social Research Institute and Free University)

Abstract

This analysis provides an example of how biodiversity can be measured by means of different indicators, and how the latter can be used to assess the influence of the biodiversity profile of a region on the tourism flows towards it. Previous studies have considered environmental amenities as one of the determinants of tourism destination choice. The central hypothesis of this paper is that the destination’s biodiversity profile can be considered as a key component of environmental amenities. The main objective of this study is to propose a different perspective on this topic, considering the role of biodiversity on tourists’ choice of destination and duration of stay. Domestic Irish tourist flows have been chosen as a case study. The first step of the analysis required the construction of biodiversity indicators suitable for developing a biodiversity profile of each Irish county. Subsequently, a model was developed so as to explain the total number of nights spent in any location as a function of a set of explanatory variables including information about the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, biodiversity and the landscape profile of the county of destination and features of the trip. Results show that most of the biodiversity and landscape indicators included in the analysis turn out to be statistically significant in determining tourists’ choices regarding the duration of their trip. As a result, policies pursuing biodiversity conservation appear to have a positive impact on the revenue of regional tourism.

Suggested Citation

  • Giulia Macagno & Maria Loureiro & Paulo A.L.D. Nunes & Richard Tol, 2009. "Assessing the Impact of Biodiversity on Tourism Flows: A model for Tourist Behaviour and its Policy Implications," Working Papers 2009.21, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2009.21
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frances Ruane & Xiaoheng Zhang, 2007. "Location Choices of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Europe after 1992," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp220, IIIS.
    2. Seán Lyons & Karen Mayor & Richard S.J. Tol, 2008. "Environmental Accounts for the Republic of Ireland: 1990-2005," Papers WP223, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ariane Manuela Amin, 2012. "What Drives Biodiversity Conservation Effort in the Developing World? An analysis for Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers halshs-00722081, HAL.
    2. Marin, Giovanni, 2009. "Valutazione economica della biodiversità marina e costiera nel Nord Adriatico: situazione socio-economica dell’area considerata e trasferimento del beneficio [Economic valuation of marine and coast," MPRA Paper 17793, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Tiziano Tempesta & Daniel Vecchiato, 2018. "The Value of a Properly Maintained Hiking Trail Network and a Traditional Landscape for Mountain Recreation in the Dolomites," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Amin, Ariane, 2016. "Exploring the role of economic incentives and spillover effects in biodiversity conservation policies in sub-Saharan Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 185-191.
    5. Ariane Manuela Amin, 2012. "What Drives Biodiversity Conservation Effort in the Developing World? An analysis for Sub-Saharan Africa," CERDI Working papers halshs-00722081, HAL.
    6. Teelucksingh, Sonja S. & Watson, Patrick K., 2013. "Linking tourism flows and biological biodiversity in Small Island Developing States (SIDS): evidence from panel data," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(4), pages 392-404, August.
    7. Ruslana Rachel Palatnik & Paulo Augusto Lourenço Dias Nunes, 2015. "Economic valuation of climate change-induced biodiversity impacts on agriculture: results from a macro-economic application to the Mediterranean basin," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 45-63, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Species Diversity; Habitat Fragmentation; Landscape Diversity; Trip Demand; Indicators; Ecosystem Services; Human Well-Being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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