Estimation of the Economic Value of Mogarmon Tourist Area Using the Contingent aluation and Individual Travel Costs Approaches

Due the importance to implement tourism development projects in different recreational areas, it is necessary to assess the benefits of such projects. The purpose of the current study was to estimate the economic value of Mogarmon tourist area in Lendeh town using conditional economic valuation and individual travel cost approaches. To this end, 400 questionnaires were completed by visitors of the Mogarmon recreational area during summer and autumn seasons in 2019. The results of the Contingent valuation method indicated that the average willingness to pay for each person to visit this location was 6752 Rials and the recreational value for each family was 288445/44 Rials per year. Moreover, the results of the travel cost method for individual travel also suggested that the recreational value of this location was estimated equal to 1062936000 Rials. Comparing these two methods showed that the recreational value of this recreational area was overestimated in the individual travel costs method, because from the of visitors' viewpoint, the use of this recreational location is considered as a public net commodity and the individuals don't exactly express their willingness to pay so that the cost of each household for recreation in this location is far higher than the stated inclination.