Examining tourist preferences to slow glacier loss: evidence from Alaska

Climate change has affected the rate at which glaciers are receding around the globe. Much of the research on glacier loss has focused on its effects on rising sea levels and water supply. However, studies examining the impact of glacier loss on in situ ecosystem services are quite limited. The Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest is an easily accessible glacier that receives over 600,000 visitors annually. While the glacier is currently visible from the visitor centre, it is expected to recede out of sight within the next few decades. Using a choice experiment, tourists are surveyed to estimate a willingness to pay value for slowing the rate of glacier recession. Results indicate that tourists are willing to pay, on average, $648 per year to reduce the annual rate of glacier loss to 0.15km3 over the next 60 years. Willingness to pay for policies to achieve the outcomes differs based on political preference and environmental organisation membership. Nature-based tourists care about preserving glaciers and disagree about the mechanisms for how to accomplish that objective.