Recreational Value Estimation of Salasel Castle in Shushtar Using Contingent Valuation Method and Individual Travel Cost

The aim of this study is to evaluate the recreational value and study the influential parameters of Salasel castle tourist's willingness to pay in Shushtar using conditional valuation method and individual travel cost. Logit econometric model is used to study the parameters affecting tourist's willingness to pay. The data were collected through a questionnaire and interview involving 307 visitors in 2017. The result of conditional valuation method showed that the average willingness to pay for any individual to visit the castle is 5,712 rials and the recreational value for each family is 323,527.68 rials per year. The result of individual travel cost method showed that the recreational value is 939,596,000 rials. Comparison of these two methods showed that the recreational value of the castle is estimated to a higher value because from the visitors’ perspective, the castle is a pure public commodity and visitors do not express their willingness to pay, properly; So that the money spent per each family to visit the castle is much more than the stated willingness.