Estimating the value of beach recreation for locals in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia

Although more that 86% of Australia's population live less than 100kms from the coast and spend or invest a lot of money to gain access to the beaches, little is known about the intensity of their use and the economic value of beach recreation. Very few studies estimate recreational use value of beaches particularly for those living close (less than 10 km) to the beach (locals). They typically have dissimilar visit patterns and low or zero travel costs because of their proximity to the recreation site. This study uses the latent class framework to extend the standard count data models to estimates the economic value of beaches for locals in the Capricorn Coast region of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Results indicate that values for beach use among the locals differ depending on their visit patterns. This information is essential when evaluating policy options associated with beach protection and management.