Assessing the changing effects of forest harvesting on nature-based tourism: a case of sport-fishing tourism in Ontario, Canada
Forest harvesting can negatively affect nature-based tourism operations. Using observable and interpretable indicators of operating tourism establishments and associated prices charged for fishing packages, we illustrate how one can assess these forest harvesting effects. From a case of floatplane-accessible tourism in Ontario, Canada, we found no evidence to implicate recent (less than 10 years) forest harvests in decisions by tourism operators to close their establishments between 2000 and 2010. Using a hedonic price analysis, we found a significantly reduced effect of forest harvests on prices charged by these tourism operators between 2000 and 2010. These conclusions were robust to different specifications of forest harvesting. On the one hand, the results suggest that changes to forest management planning, policies, and practices in Ontario appear to have mitigated the negative effects from forest harvesting on nature-based tourism. On the other hand, the results show a method that other researchers and policy analysts can adopt to monitor the changing effects of forest management on economic activities such as nature-based tourism.