ABSTRACT
Birdwatching is a specific sector of wildlife tourism that has increased in popularity around the world. The determinants of birdwatching demand in Mexico have not been analyzed, and to start this assessment the main objective of this article is to determine whether ecological attributes, motivations, past experience, and attitudes are relevant for birdwatching in Banderas Bay, Mexico. For that purpose, an on-site survey was carried out, and a count model was used to determine demand and an estimate of consumer surplus as a welfare measure of this economic activity. Results show that active birder category is more dominant than the casual or specialized categories but only environmental quality of the site and attitudes toward conservation is determinant for birdwatching demand. An estimate of visitors’ economic welfare through their consumer surplus is of ~US$ 342–401. This study begins the process of understanding birdwatching demand determinants in Mexico showing that demand is determined by environmental attributes and attitudes and suggests some recommendations for the site in terms of market differentiation and complementary activities, as well as habitat and species conservation.
“Non-consumptive wildlife tourism demand depends on tourist typologies, site attributes, attitudes and socioeconomic aspects.”
