VISITOR’S WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENTS OF HUTAN LIPUR ULU BENDUL, NEGERI SEMBILAN

Abstract

Hutan Lipur Ulu Bendul is a recreational forest that serves as a place to escape from hustle and bustle of city life. However, the excessively large number of visitors has affected the forest, as the tourists lack conservation awareness. The main objectives of this study are (i) to analyse the visitors’ Willingness to Pay (WTP) for conservation and environmental protection of Hutan Lipur Ulu Bendul and (ii) to observe the determinants of visitors’ WTP, such as education level, income, and age. This study involved about 150 randomly selected visitors at Hutan Lipur Ulu Bendul, Kuala Pilah. About five sets of questionnaires were distributed to 150 respondents during data collection. From the three variables tested, only household income had a significant effect on the WTP for conservation, estimated with a hypothetical method, double-bounded Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The findings are crucial in understanding the value that visitors place on forest conservation and improvements by describing the level of environmental awareness among visitors.