Heterogeneity in trips to green natural spaces: A travel cost approach across UK sites

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdowns saw a subsequent sharp rise in demand for outdoor recreation. This has resulted in congestion and particular stress on managing authorities of green natural spaces. This study examines drivers for outdoor recreation, across UK sites, for a representative sample of the English population during lockdowns and the easing of restrictions. Using a travel cost approach, this study focuses on addressing demand heterogeneity through a finite mixture model and cost sensitivity and finds that the characteristics of green and natural spaces English respondents visit are not always affecting trip frequency. Additionally, social inequalities and deprivation do not influence or had an inverse effect on demand for visits to UK green and natural spaces. When accounting for heterogeneity, a large variability in the frequency of visits is observed, with frequent visitors being less sensitive to changes in travel cost. Finally, we find that UK residents are less responsive to changes in travel cost that could be caused by increases in petrol prices, or in changes in their income. Future management decisions for green natural spaces need to account for the differences between casual and frequent outdoor recreationists.