Recreational Value of Sakunothayan Botanical Garden, Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economy characteristics, general information on recreation of visitors and evaluation of the recreational value of the Sakunothayan Botanical Garden, Phitsanulok province. The estimations were done by using individual travel cost method (ITCM) and contingent valuation method by willingness to pay (WTP). Data were collected by interviewing 398 visitors who traveled to the Botanical Garden during January to April 2022.

The results indicated that a majority of visitors were male with an average age of 32.68 years. Most visitors had an undergraduate degree with their occupation primarily being personal business /trade with an average income of 16,414.82 Baht/month. Most of the visitors had visited the Sakunothayan Botanical Garden an average of 4.28 times and came for recreation with their families of an average size of 4 persons. The average distance from the accommodation to Sakunothayan Botanical Garden is 71.39 km, with most of the visitors using their personal vehicles. The average travel expenses were 227.58 Baht, and the average level of satisfaction was high.

The recreational value of the Sakunothayan Botanical Garden, as calculated by the ITCM was 11,658,634.90 Baht/year, while that estimated using the contingent valuation method by WTP was 1,188,832.08 Baht/year. This study can be used during the budgetary allocation planning for resource maintenance, area and facility management and can also be used as a criterion for determining the appropriate service fee that can be levied for the Sakunothayan Botanical Garden.