Willingness to Pay to Avoid High Encounter Levels at Dive Sites in the Caribbean

Abstract

This research estimates willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid high numbers of encounters with other divers at dive sites in barbados and Tobago. A survey of scuba divers from 2007 to 2010 examined demographics, experience, satisfaction with conditions (e.g., coral cover, visibility, diversity of fish and marine life, crowding), dive characteristics (e.g., divers encountered), and maximum WTP for the dive. WTP was a function of dive location, diver income, encounters, and amount paid for the dive. On average, divers may be willing to pay up to US$4.51 per additional diver to avoid encounters with others. results can inform management regarding pricing and spatial planning of reef use and can aid in policies for maximizing economic returns from diving while reducing impacts of diving on reefs and diver experiences.