The protective forests in the Taitung Forest Park, Taiwan, are studied to explore the potential recreational benefits in the year 2014. First, the importance performance analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis are first adopted to analyze the relationship between the tourist satisfaction and environmental factors. The contingent valuation method and Tobit regression model are then applied to evaluate the benefits of protective forests. It shows that the willingness to pay price for entrance to the Taitung Forest Park is NT$21.7 for each person. Note that US$1 is around NT$30. The Taitung Forest Park creates a recreational value of NT$12,732,120 per year on average. The research outcomes are crucial for the Taitung Forest Park Administration Office for potential price-making in the future.
ChangHHChenCH (2010) The study of visitor’s willingness to pay for interpretative service and environmental conservation: a case of FuShan nature preserve park. Journal of Tourism and Travel Research5(1): 57–76.
2.
ChenW-JLiawS-C (2012) What is the value of eco-tourism? An evaluation of forested trails for community residents and visitors. Tourism Economics18(4): 871–885.
3.
ChiuST (2003) Study on recreation benefits of urban forest. Doctoral Dissertation, Department of Forestry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan.
4.
ChiouCL (2009) NO. 2519 and 2502 Forest Protection Benefits in Taitung Beinan. Taitung: Taitung Forest District Office, pp. 14–21.
5.
DengSL (2012) The business strategy of prevent shifting sand protective forest. Forestry Research Newsletters39(6): 47–51.
6.
HanemannMW (1984) Discrete/continuous models of consumer demand. Econometrica52(3): 541–561.
7.
HerathGKennedyJ (2004) Estimating the economic value of mount buffalo national park with the travel cost and contingent valuation models. Tourism Economics10(1): 63–78.
8.
HollenhorstSOlsonDFortneyR (1992) Use of importance-performance analysis to evaluate state park cabins: the case of the West Virginia state park system. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration10(1): 1–11.
9.
HsuCY (2006) Investigation of relationships among importance, satisfaction and behavioral intention of members towards travel information–a case study of the president health resorts. Doctoral Dissertation, Department of Tourism, Shih Hsin University, Taipei, Taiwan.
10.
HuangWL (2005) Analysis of willingness to pay for local environmental tax at green island－an application of CVM. Doctoral Dissertation, Graduate Institute of Building and Planning, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
11.
HuangCHTsengWC (2006) Valuing recreational benefits of the coastal wetlands and mangrove in Taiwan. Journal of Tourism Studies12(1): 43–66.
12.
HuangCY (2011) Study on the shelter effects of protection at Peinan river estuary. Doctoral Dissertation, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
13.
HuangYSDengSL (2012) Create a healthy forest - Taiwan protective forest research direction and business strategy. Forestry Research Newsletters19(6): 1–5.
14.
LaiCH (2004) A study on non-market value of chamaecyparis giant trees in Alishan forest recreation area. Doctoral Dissertation, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan.
15.
LinJBLinCS (2004) SPSS12 Practical Statistical Modeling and Application. New Taipei: DrMaste, pp. 52–60.
16.
MaddalaGS (1983) Limited-dependent and Qualitative Variables in Econometrics. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 41–44.
17.
MartillaJAJamesJC (1977) Importance-performance analysis. Journal of Marketing41(1): 77–79.
18.
TobinJ (1958) Forecast of relationships for limited dependent variables. Econometrica26(1): 24–36.
19.
TsengTF (2011) The management of protective forest in Wenshan county during Japanese colonial period. Doctoral Dissertation, School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
20.
WangDHWangPJLinCJ (1999) Economic evaluation of recreation benefits at the Shanping natural education area. Taiwan Journal of Forest Science14(4): 57–468.
21.
WuCSLiuCPChenYH. (2006) Evaluating the economic benefits of forest ecosystem management in the LiuKuei experimental forest. Taiwan Journal of Forest Science21(2): 191–203.
22.
WuPIWuSKYangSL. (2007) Theoretical interpretation and empirical examination of discrete type of contingent valuation data: some implication for the benefit measurement of outdoor recreational studies in Taiwan. Journal of Outdoor Recreation Study20(2): 1–37.
23.
WuSH (2007) The study on recreational values evaluation of hot spring recreation area-an example of the guanzihling hot spring scenic area. Doctoral Dissertation, Department of Land Management and Development Institute, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan.
