Project 12.3 Factsheet: Relative social and economic values of residents and tourists in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area

The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is famous for its wildlife, biodiversity and natural beauty, but none of these important assets are bought or sold in the market place, so none are explicitly ‘valued’ with a price. Recognising that absence of price does not mean absence of value, this project seeks to improve our understanding of the importance of these non-market ‘values’ to a variety of different stakeholders. How important is a beautiful view or a cassowary to the community, to tourists and to the tourism industry? How would people feel if there were fewer (or more) opportunities to enjoy those beautiful views or to observe these charismatic birds?