EFFECTS OF CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ON ACCOMMODATION ROOM RATES IN THE TSAVO-AMBOSELI WILDLIFE TOURISM DESTINATION AREA, KENYA

Abstract

The ecosystem services concept advocates for incorporation of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) in park management plans. However, park managers face difficulties articulating the CES in policy ready metrics and park tourists facilities operators lack information on visitor preferences for elements of the accommodation experience like facility’s environmental attributes. The study adopted a mixed methods design to collect qualitative data from purposively sampled park staff and quantitative data from a census of operational accommodation facilities in the Tsavo Amboseli Wildlife Tourism Destination Area in Kenya. The study relied on a deliberative geographical information system (GIS) protocol where park staff mapped the distribution of CES in three contiguous most visited parks in Kenya, Tsavo East, Tsavo West and Amboseli National Parks. By combining geospatial CES data with quantitative data on accommodation facility attributes, the study build a hedonic pricing model (HPM) to explore the impact of park CES benefits on room rates. The model was then used to assess how facility attributes, including CES, globally and locally influenced room rates in the study area. Results of the geospatial analysis revealed CES concentration with benefits intensities (I = 0.44 -2.93/km2) and diversity (𝐻∗=.48−.62) at geological, hydrological, and cultural park features while topographic and ecological features diffused the benefits. The study confirmed the joint-provision of CES at hotspots for landscape aesthetics (𝑍=5.38;𝑝<.01), spiritual/religious reverence (𝑍=5.67;𝑝<.01), ecotourism & recreation (𝑍=4.30;𝑝<.01), knowledge and scientific research (𝑍=4.10;𝑝<.01) in Tsavo West and historical and heritage appreciation (𝑍=5.71;𝑝<.01) in Tsavo East. The research highlighted differences in room rates (F (2, 44) =5.46; p = .01) for facilities in the three parks. Results of the global HPM (G-HPM) suggested that a plunge pool, private balcony, bathrobe, concierge service, chain affiliation, ecolodge, and proximity to a landscape aesthetics hotspot jointly influenced room rate (F (8, 38) = 9.66; p <.001). These attributes explained 60% of global variability in rates. Ecolodge status had the largest positive influence on rates (β =.41, t = 4.26, p < .001) followed by distance to a landscape aesthetic hotspot that had an inverse effect (β = -.22, t = -2.11, p = .04). The study estimated a geographically weighted regression HPM (GWR-HPM). The GWR-HPM predicted 69% to 90% of the variability in the room rates suggesting better explanatory power in parts of the study area compared to the G-HPM. The GWR-HPM confirmed spatial variations in the facilities’ attributes-room rate relationships and affirmed the influence of ecolodge on room rates in 98% of the observations. The GWR-HPM revealed that proximity to landscape aesthetics hotspots positively influenced rates in only 2% of locations, contradicting the distance decay principle. This suggests that facilities could not capitalize on CES benefits in their pricing decisions at the destination scale due to the public nature of the CES benefits in the Parks. The study demonstrates applicability of the deliberative method in assessing protected area CES values. Park managers can rely on results of such a process to provide legitimate inputs into conservation decisions. The study results demonstrate the influence of visitor preferences for accommodation objective and environmental attributes on room rates and suggests that park accommodation facilities can rely on the spatial hedonic pricing model to derive indices to be used in their product pricing, development, and positioning decisions. The study concludes that the ecosystem services concept expands the understanding of values in terrestrial protected areas by highlighting the socially constructed benefits of ecosystems. Additionally, the influence of facility amenities, visitor services, and environmental characteristics on room rates reveals park visitors' preferences and expectations regarding the park accommodation experience.