Landscape valuation of historical tourism site in Northern Iran: A case study from Sheikh-Zahed Tomb

Abstract

In Iran, the importance of landscapes and the need to preserve these unique assets is not particularly recognized especially at tourism and environmental sites. This study investigated the landscape valuation of Sheikh-Zahed Tomb in Northern Iran. The contingent valuation method (CVM), which is based on a survey model, was used to assess visitors’ willingness to pay (WTP) in order to preserve the landscape. The data used in this study were collected though face-to-face interviews with 157 visitors to a historic tomb in the first half of 2019. The results indicate that the average of respondents’ WTP to preserve the landscape was 0.47 $ per year. The annual total economic value (TEV) of the landscape is estimated to be 11 960 782 $. Respondents’ age, monthly income of the respondent’s household, the tomb accessibility, the tomb architectural attraction, and proposed price for the landscape preservation had significant effects on WTP. Proposed empirical model (CVM) provides a comprehensive framework for illustrating landscape valuation of natural heritages and historical tourism sites globally as well as in Iran. Highlights for public administration, management and planning: • The evaluation of landscape values of historical site of Sheikh-Zahed tomb (Iran) for visitors is presented. • Both types of qualitative and quantitative variables affect WTP of visitors for the landscape preservation. • Among the key factors, the accessibility to the landscape affects its value for visitors, and the pristine and original landscape of the tomb is important for visitors.

Economic Valuation of Landscape in Marinas: Application to a Marina in Spanish Southern Mediterranean Coast (Granada, Spain)

“…These are grouped into use values and non-use values. The first represents the direct profit from the landscape, providing tangible benefits [20]. The second refers to the sense of enjoyment that an individual can experience from the mere knowledge that a particular environment exists in a healthy state [50]…”

“…Marina managers have an intuition of the importance of the landscape, but a lack of landscape training or the absence of tools for its treatment means that the perception remains in the physical aspects [3]. Monetizing the landscape is a general measurement unit to express the benefit provided to people [20]. It also may incorporate some uncertainty as it does not cover all possible impacts and damages that may occur in the environment [21].…”

“…In this method, respondents are asked about their willingness for proposed change at a given cost. For instance, the most common variant is the maximum willingness-to-pay (WTP) method, which involves surveying people to elicit respondents' willingness to pay for a good or to prevent its loss [20,36,37]. The travel cost method (TCM) investigates people's willingness to pay to reach a particular recreational activity [38,39].…”