Comparing payment-vehicle effects in contingent valuation studies for recreational use in two protected Spanish forests

We compare two alternative payment-vehicles for contingent valuation studies to estimate economic recreational values. We analyze the potential effects of each wording to determine the most appropriate vehicle. Four contingent valuation surveys, carried out in two different protected Spanish forests, are compared. In each forest, one contingent valuation survey used entrance-fees and the other used an increase in trip-expenditures as payment-vehicles. As expected, results show statistically significant differences and great divergences between estimations, some three times higher in the second type. These differences remain, regardless of the format and the estimation technique used. The tests suggest that the second type approximates better welfare values for recreation.