Application of the open-ended approach to estimate the ecotourism value of Javaherdeh Village in Mazandaran province

This study presents an application of the open-ended approach to estimate the ecotourism value of Javaherdeh Village in Mazandaran province. The Two-stage Heckman Method was used to analysis data for separating the factors affecting the existence of willingness to pay (WTP) of visitors and factors affecting the amount of willingness to pay for the Javaherdeh village. Therefore, using data from the pre-test questionnaires and Mitchell and Carson approach, 220 visitors were determined as the study sample. Requested data set were obtained by completing questionnaires and interviewing with individuals who visited the mentioned village in spring 2015. The results showed that the variables including satisfaction with welfare and recreational facilities, household monthly income, and gender were statistically significant at 1% level; variable of age was statistically significant at 10% level affecting on the amount of willingness to pay only; While overnight staying experience was statistically significant at 10% level and variables including the number of annual visits and visitors attitude index were statistically significant at 1% level in the first stage (existence of WTP) and also in the second stage (amount of WTP). The expected willingness to pay of each household for each visit was estimated equivalent to 37,613 Rials.