| Abstract |
There are three regions in North-East Italy: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. These regions have highly differentiated environmental and natural features. In fact, in this small area we can find the biomes of the main European temperate zones. The environment is important because there are a large number of National and Regional Natural Parks, as well as small protected areas that many people visit every year. Since the nineties, the authors have been involved in research to examine and analyse ecotourism in North-East Italy. The main objectives were to: a) define a methodology that would quantify the recreational flow from the results of phone and in-person interviews, b) analyse ecotourism demand, socioeconomic visitor features, tourist facilities and economic flow. The statistical models study the number of visits through a travel cost method, and willingness to pay by means of contingent valuation methods. The findings have allowed us to fill the considerable information gap regarding ecotourism and the recreational use of the landscape. From the survey we have collected precise data on the economic and social importance of ecotourism, such as recreational benefit and expense flow. |
