Abstract

KIDO-CRUZ, María Teresa  and  CUELLAR-RIO, Manuel. Economic impact of cruise passengers payments on the conservation of natural resources: the case of Huatulco Bays, Mexico. Econ. soc. territ [online]. 2010, vol.10, n.32, pp.81-97. ISSN 2448-6183.

Huatulco Bays, Mexico, is a relatively new tourist destination with great appeal due to its scenic beauty; however it is threatened by the yearly influx of cruise passengers. It is therefore important the creation of economic instruments and the implementation of policies to minimize the damage to natural resources in the area. In this study we apply the Travel Cost Method and a binomial probit model using panel data to analyze the economic impact of cruise tourists and their willingness to pay for the conservation of natural resources. The main results show a consumer surplus of 48 usd per person, but also indicate that 30% of passengers would not be willing to pay an increased fee to enter the port.

Keywords : surplus; panel; travel cost; willingness to pay.