Choice set formation for outdoor destinations: the role of motivations and preference discrimination in site selection for the management of public expenditures on protected areas

Thiene, M.; Swait, J.; Scarpa, R.

doi:10.1016/j.jeem.2016.08.002

Choice set formation for outdoor destinations: the role of motivations and preference discrimination in site selection for the management of public expenditures on protected areas

Thiene, M.; Swait, J.; Scarpa, R.

Authors

M. Thiene

J. Swait

Professor Riccardo Scarpa riccardo.scarpa@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

Effective public expenditure currently dominates the management focus of many protected areas. This calls for explicit modeling of constraints and motivations that, respectively, obstruct and stimulate visits to selected outdoor destinations. Choice set formation is the result of screening and/or inclusion of specific sites (alternatives) to form the set of sites considered in real choices. Evidence shows that the omission of a structural representation of choice set formation is harmful to econometric inference. Yet, the literature has largely ignored the underlying behavioral phenomenon. We show, using a discrete choice experiment involving selection among seven recreational sites in an Italian national park, that choice set formation is behaviorally relevant, even after controlling for preference discrimination. Motivations (why visit?) are important determinants of preliminary site screening for choice set inclusion, as well as site selection, justifying the additional value of such modeling extension.

Citation

Thiene, M., Swait, J., & Scarpa, R. (2017). Choice set formation for outdoor destinations: the role of motivations and preference discrimination in site selection for the management of public expenditures on protected areas. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 81, 152-173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2016.08.002

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Aug 1, 2016
Online Publication Date	Aug 20, 2016
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2017
Deposit Date	Aug 15, 2016
Publicly Available Date	Feb 20, 2018
Journal	Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
Print ISSN	0095-0696
Publisher	Elsevier
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	81
Pages	152-173
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2016.08.002
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1399249

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Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Copyright Statement
© 2016 This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/