Economic values and cultural heritage conservation : assessing the use of stated preference techniques for measuring changes in visitor welfare

Abstract

This thesis forms a methodological and empirical investigation of issues relating to the measurement of the economic value of cultural heritage resources. The two-fold aim is to assess the use of non-market economic valuation techniques for estimating the benefits accruing from changes in cultural heritage; and to uncover the values that people (in this case, visitors) ascribe to various features of cultural heritage resources as a means of informing future policy and decision making. Both of these aims are investigated in the context of the welfare impacts of changes in the quality of historic property attributes. Two survey-based stated preference economic valuation techniques, namely contingent valuation and choice experiments are used, and the proposed economic approach is demonstrated and tested by means of three National Trust case studies. The methodological issues investigated include attempts to minimise protest responses associated with stated preference techniques, examining alternative methods to reduce payment uncertainty and the use of alternative value units (money vs time). The potential of choice experiments as a tool for modelling complex choice situations in the context of multi-attribute cultural heritage resources is evaluated. Furthermore, the potential of choice experiments for use in ‘benefits transfer’ of cultural values is assessed. Specific policy and management issues relating to each of the chosen properties, such as access vs conservation and willingness to pay/wait to reduce congestion, are explored in terms of their effect on visitor welfare. An attempt will also be made to uncover the value that individuals assign to specific general features of historic properties (such as art collections, the association with an historic figure, architectural style, landscape gardens, visitor facilities) as a means of informing future policy. The research addresses gaps in existing economics knowledge as well as providing novel findings regarding the use of stated preference methodology in the context of cultural heritage resource evaluation. It is also expected that this research will have significant policy implications for the sustainable management of National Trust properties. Furthermore, any economic value that can be demonstrated can be used by the Trust to demonstrate the importance of cultural heritage conservation both to the wider public and Government.