Fig 1.
Schematic of manta dive operation at Drawaqa Island, Fiji.
Swimmers are dropped in upstream (on the right) and float with the current, while the mantas typically swim up current (from left to right). After the drift swim, the snorkelers are picked up by boats past the channel (left).
Table 1.
Summary of demographic data regarding tourists interviewed about willingness to pay for the current ecotourism experience (Scenario 1), a reduced number of snorkelers in the water (Scenario 2), and voluntary payments to the local community (Scenario 3).
Fig 2.
Tourists’ willingness to pay to dive with the current number of swimmers (apx. 20 swimmers per boat) under various socioeconomic factors: (a) Age, (b) Household Income, and (c) Education Level. Also, tourists’ willingness to pay to dive with a hypothetically reduced number of swimmers (10 swimmers per boat) under various socioeconomic factors: (d) Age, (e) Household Income, and (f) Education Level. Each dot represents a unique individual’s response and the black bars represent the mean willingness to pay value for each socioeconomic factor category.
Fig 3.
Tourists' willingness to donate to the local community for educational or environmental support under various socioeconomic factors: (a) Age, (b) Household Income, and (c) Education Level. Each dot represents a unique individual’s response and the black bars represent the mean willingness to pay value for each socioeconomic factor category.
Table 2.
Results of various statistical associations among tourists willingness to pay under current situation (Scenario 1), with a reduced number of swimmers (Scenario 2), and to make donations to the community (Scenario 3).
Significant values (α = .05) are in Bold.
Fig 4.
Response saturation curves for willingness to pay under the current ecotourism experience (a); for a reduced number of snorkelers in the water (b), and for voluntary payments to the community (c). The saturation curves reflect the total number of people willing to pay for a specific hypothetical increase above the current cost.