Fonte: El Periplo Sustentable; Núm. 45 (2023): Número cuarenta y cinco; 183 - 200
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Resumo: The San Ignacio Lagoon (SIL) is one of two principal locations where whales can be observed in Baja California Sur. SIL is an area protected for conservation since 1972 that has recently become important for attracting a large number of annual visitors, mainly foreigners, to observe gray whales. This study proposes different fees for access to gray whale watching in SIL. A survey was given to 121 visitors during the 2015-2016 season with a 95% response rate. Using the travel cost method, two models were considered: foreign and domestic visitors. Foreign visitors place greater importance on elements such as visiting a natural protected area, accommodations and travel time to SIL. Domestic visitors value the level of satisfaction gained during the viewing of the whales, the excursion and their stay in the area. Willingness to pay (WTP) was determined for foreign and domestic visitors at $111 and $30 USD respectively. The added recreational value of grey whale watching at SIL is $908,502 USD. WTP estimates serve as a basis to propose different fees for access to the site. This will allow the area to generate additional resources that can be used to strengthen conservation efforts and defray the operational costs of inspection and surveillance in the area.
