IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/48036.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Using a Control Function to Resolve the Travel Cost Endogeneity Problem in Recreation Demand Models

Author

Listed:
  • Melstrom, Richard
  • Lupi, Frank

Abstract

This paper proposes using a control function to correct for endogeneity in recreation demand models. The control function approach is contrasted with the method of alternative specific constants (ASCs), which has been cautiously promoted in the literature. As an application, we consider the case of travel cost endogeneity in the demand for Great Lakes recreational fishing. Using data on Michigan anglers, we employ a random utility model of site choice. We show that either ASCs or the control function can correct for travel cost endogeneity, although we find that the model with ASCs produces significantly weaker results. Overall, compared with traditional approaches control functions may offer a more flexible means to eliminate endogeneity in recreation demand models.

Suggested Citation

  • Melstrom, Richard & Lupi, Frank, 2012. "Using a Control Function to Resolve the Travel Cost Endogeneity Problem in Recreation Demand Models," MPRA Paper 48036, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised May 2013.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:48036
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/48036/1/MPRA_paper_48036.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Phaneuf, Daniel J. & Carbone, Jared C. & Herriges, Joseph A., 2009. "Non-price equilibria for non-marketed goods," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 45-64, January.
    2. von Haefen, Roger H. & Phaneuf, Daniel J., 2008. "Identifying demand parameters in the presence of unobservables: A combined revealed and stated preference approach," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 19-32, July.
    3. George R. Parsons, 1991. "A Note on Choice of Residential Location in Travel Cost Demand Models," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 67(3), pages 360-364.
    4. Babatunde O. Abidoye & Joseph A. Herriges & Justin L. Tobias, 2012. "Controlling for Observed and Unobserved Site Characteristics in RUM Models of Recreation Demand," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 94(5), pages 1070-1093.
    5. Klaus Moeltner & Roger von Haefen, 2011. "Microeconometric Strategies for Dealing with Unobservables and Endogenous Variables in Recreation Demand Models," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 375-396, October.
    6. Smith, Richard J & Blundell, Richard W, 1986. "An Exogeneity Test for a Simultaneous Equation Tobit Model with an Application to Labor Supply," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 679-685, May.
    7. von Haefen, Roger H., 2003. "Incorporating observed choice into the construction of welfare measures from random utility models," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 145-165, March.
    8. Amil Petrin & Kenneth Train, 2006. "Control Function Corrections for Unobserved Factors in Differentiated Product Models," 2006 Meeting Papers 856, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    9. Steven C. Deller & Tsung-Hsiu (Sue) Tsai & David W. Marcouiller & Donald B.K. English, 2001. "The Role of Amenities and Quality of Life In Rural Economic Growth," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(2), pages 352-365.
    10. Jakus, Paul M. & Keith, John E. & Liu, Lu & Blahna, Dale, 2010. "The Welfare Effects of Restricting Off-Highway Vehicle Access to Public Lands," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 39(1), pages 89-100, February.
    11. Murdock, Jennifer, 2006. "Handling unobserved site characteristics in random utility models of recreation demand," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 1-25, January.
    12. Train, Kenneth & McFadden, Daniel & Johnson, Reed, 2000. "Discussion of Morey and Waldman's "Measurement Error in Recreation Demand Models"," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 76-81, July.
    13. Jeffrey Englin & Trudy Cameron, 1996. "Augmenting travel cost models with contingent behavior data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 7(2), pages 133-147, March.
    14. Steven T. Berry, 1994. "Estimating Discrete-Choice Models of Product Differentiation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(2), pages 242-262, Summer.
    15. Stephen Hynes & Nick Hanley & Eoghan Garvey, 2007. "Up the Proverbial Creek without a Paddle: Accounting for Variable Participant Skill Levels in Recreational Demand Modelling," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 36(4), pages 413-426, April.
    16. Rivers, Douglas & Vuong, Quang H., 1988. "Limited information estimators and exogeneity tests for simultaneous probit models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 347-366, November.
    17. Jacob Ricker-Gilbert & Thomas S. Jayne & Ephraim Chirwa, 2010. "Subsidies and Crowding Out: A Double-Hurdle Model of Fertilizer Demand in Malawi," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 93(1), pages 26-42.
    18. Morey, Edward R. & Waldman, Donald M., 1998. "Measurement Error in Recreation Demand Models: The Joint Estimation of Participation, Site Choice, and Site Characteristics," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 262-276, May.
    19. Hausman, Jerry A. & Leonard, Gregory K. & McFadden, Daniel, 1995. "A utility-consistent, combined discrete choice and count data model Assessing recreational use losses due to natural resource damage," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 1-30, January.
    20. David Albouy, 2009. "What Are Cities Worth? Land Rents, Local Productivity, and the Capitalization of Amenity Values," NBER Working Papers 14981, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Alan Randall, 1994. "Difficulty with the Travel Cost Method," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 70(1), pages 88-96.
    22. Berry, Steven & Levinsohn, James & Pakes, Ariel, 1995. "Automobile Prices in Market Equilibrium," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 63(4), pages 841-890, July.
    23. Daniel J. Phaneuf & V. Kerry Smith & Raymond B. Palmquist & Jaren C. Pope, 2008. "Integrating Property Value and Local Recreation Models to Value Ecosystem Services in Urban Watersheds," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 84(3), pages 361-381.
    24. Timar, Levente & Phaneuf, Daniel J., 2009. "Modeling the human-induced spread of an aquatic invasive: The case of the zebra mussel," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(12), pages 3060-3071, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Richard T. Melstrom & Deshamithra H. W. Jayasekera, 2017. "Two-Stage Estimation to Control for Unobservables in a Recreation Demand Model with Unvisited Sites," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 93(2), pages 328-341.
    2. Hocheol Jeon & Joseph A. Herriges, 2017. "Combining Revealed Preference Data with Stated Preference Data: A Latent Class Approach," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(4), pages 1053-1086, December.
    3. Murdock, Jennifer, 2006. "Handling unobserved site characteristics in random utility models of recreation demand," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. H. Allen Klaiber & Roger H. von Haefen, 2019. "Do Random Coefficients and Alternative Specific Constants Improve Policy Analysis? An Empirical Investigation of Model Fit and Prediction," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(1), pages 75-91, May.
    5. David A. Keiser, 2018. "The Missing Benefits of Clean Water and the Role of Mismeasured Pollution," Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) Publications 18-wp581, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University.
    6. Simon P. Anderson & Federico Ciliberto & Jura Liaukonyte & Régis Renault, 2016. "Push-me pull-you: comparative advertising in the OTC analgesics industry," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 47(4), pages 1029-1056, November.
    7. Stafford, Tess M., 2018. "Accounting for outside options in discrete choice models: An application to commercial fishing effort," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 159-179.
    8. Abildtrup, Jens & Garcia, Serge & Olsen, Søren Bøye & Stenger, Anne, 2013. "Spatial preference heterogeneity in forest recreation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 67-77.
    9. Kuwayama, Yusuke & Olmstead, Sheila & Zheng, Jiameng, 2022. "A more comprehensive estimate of the value of water quality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    10. Keiser, David A., 2018. "The Missing Benefits of Clean Water and the Role of Mismeasured Pollution," ISU General Staff Papers 201806290700001048, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    11. John C. Whitehead & Subhrendu K. Pattanayak & George L. Van Houtven & Brett R. Gelso, 2008. "Combining Revealed And Stated Preference Data To Estimate The Nonmarket Value Of Ecological Services: An Assessment Of The State Of The Science," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(5), pages 872-908, December.
    12. Xuepeng Liu & Mary E. Lovel & Jan Ondrich, 2017. "Does Final Market Demand Elasticity Influence the Location of Export Processing? Evidence from Multinational Decisions in China," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Mary E Lovely (ed.), International Economic Integration and Domestic Performance, chapter 12, pages 199-226, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    13. von Haefen, Roger H. & Phaneuf, Daniel J., 2008. "Identifying demand parameters in the presence of unobservables: A combined revealed and stated preference approach," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 19-32, July.
    14. Phaneuf, Daniel J. & Carbone, Jared C. & Herriges, Joseph A., 2009. "Non-price equilibria for non-marketed goods," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 45-64, January.
    15. Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda, 2012. "Targeted Subsidies and Private Market Participation: An Assessment of Fertilizer Demand in Nigeria:," IFPRI discussion papers 1194, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Ferreira, Fernando, 2010. "You can take it with you: Proposition 13 tax benefits, residential mobility, and willingness to pay for housing amenities," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(9-10), pages 661-673, October.
    17. David A Keiser & Joseph S Shapiro, 2019. "Consequences of the Clean Water Act and the Demand for Water Quality," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 134(1), pages 349-396.
    18. Ruben Loon & Tom Gosens & Jan Rouwendal, 2014. "Cultural heritage and the attractiveness of cities: evidence from recreation trips," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 38(3), pages 253-285, August.
    19. Hugo Salgado & Ariel Soto, 2016. "Estimating Biomass Migration Parameters by Analyzing the Spatial Behavior of the Fishing Fleet," Revista de Analisis Economico – Economic Analysis Review, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business, vol. 31(1), pages 37-58, April.
    20. Felipe Vásquez & Michael Hanemann, 2008. "Taste Indicators and Heterogeneous Revealed Preferences for Congestion in Recreation Demand," Working Papers 10-2008, Departamento de Economía, Universidad de Concepción.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Recreation demand; random utility model; travel cost method; travel cost endogeneity; control function; alternative specific constants; recreational fishing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q22 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Fishery
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • Q26 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Recreational Aspects of Natural Resources

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:48036. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.