Valuing visitor willingness to pay for marine conservation – The case of the proposed Cres-Lošinj Marine Protected Area, Croatia

• Nature and climate are the most important features for tourists to visit Lošinj.
• Over 80% of respondents were willing to pay for marine conservation.
• The resident dolphin population around Lošinj could be used as flagship species.
• Ecological labelling, eco-taxes and responsible wildlife tourism should be combined.

We investigated visitor environmental perception and willingness to pay (WTP) for marine conservation of the Cres-Lošinj Marine Protected Area (CLMPA) for bottlenose dolphins. Results indicate that the attractiveness of Lošinj Island as a holiday destination is highly influenced by its nature, but less influenced by the presence of the dolphin population. Over 80% of interviewees were willing to pay more for their holiday in support of marine conservation. The average WTP was 6–10% higher than the average daily expenditure per person. This resulted in a potential ecological tax of approximately €1 per person per day, and an overall estimated increase of seasonal income of between €2.4 million and €9.9 million. In order to use the dolphins as a flagship species the resident population should gain greater public awareness which could then lead to a higher support of the MPA. We conclude that there is a viable option for the CLMPA to be self-financed due to the high estimate of WTP of the visitors, and the potential additional income of dedicated ‘dolphin watching’ trips. This is the first study in Croatia to investigate visitors WTP for marine conservation and the potential for the careful development of specialist marine wildlife tourism.