Visitor preferences and willingness to pay for coastal attributes in Barbados

Coastal and marine resources in Barbados supply a wide range of goods and services including seafood, numerous recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, and coastal protection. These resources also serve as the foundation of the Barbados tourism product and provide indirect economic support via employment, income, and tax revenues. Despite their obvious importance to the economy and culture of Barbados, the economic value of many aspects of coastal and marine resources have not been directly studied. An understanding of preferences and willingness to pay for coastal and marine characteristics can be useful in terms of developing efficient, cost-effective natural resource policies, particularly with regard to tourism, the principle economic driver in Barbados. This research summarizes the results of an economic valuation study aimed at understanding visitor perceptions of environmental quality, preferences for coastal amenities and willingness to pay for changes in coastal lodging attributes. Results indicate that visitors to Barbados have strong preferences for beach-front lodging and a strong aversion to beach litter. Differences in willingness to pay to avoid litter at the lower end of the litter spectrum illustrate the potential for significant economic gains to be realized through beach cleanup efforts. Tourists also display an aversion to narrow beaches, but do not seem to place much value on additional width beyond a threshold width of 8-10 m.