Green mobility integration to enhance willingness to pay for cultural heritage conservation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The restructuring of entrance fees at high-profile cultural world heritage sites often sparks intense public debates between heritage conservation imperatives and the fundamental principles of democratic public access. Utilizing an integrated microeconomic and behavioral demand-side framework, this empirical study provides a comprehensive assessment of domestic visitors'''' financial thresholds, behavioral dynamics, and psychological expectations at Indonesia''''s Borobudur World Heritage Site. The study objectives were to bridge the prevailing valuation gap, mitigate socio-economic conflicts, and prevent the severe market friction and social exclusion that typically accompany top-down tariff adjustments. METHODS: Utilizing the contingent valuation method and a structured ability-to-pay framework, primary data were collected through detailed questionnaires from ۱۲۰ stratified domestic respondents during the transitional shoulder season. To bypass statistical limitations, the framework deploys a within-subject, repeated-measures analysis of variance design that generates ۳۶۰ distinct data observations, yielding a post-hoc statistical power exceeding ۰.۹۹. To statistically model behavioral shifts, demand elasticity, and visitor distribution, this study constructs an innovative eco-economic boundary matrix grounded in Kaldor-Hicks efficiency criteria. This framework accounts for both demographic covariates and multi-tiered environmental service scenarios. FINDINGS: The empirical analysis uncovers a profound valuation gap heavily driven by consumer anchoring behavior. While the mean objective capacity stands at United Satate Dollar ۱۸.۳۵, the baseline means willingness to pay remains strictly restricted at just United Satate Dollar ۳.۲۳ due to free-rider effects. Crucially, green scenario simulations demonstrate that transitioning to an integrated eco-mobility management structure triggers a substantial +۲۵ percent positive behavioral shift. Empirical simulations indicate that integrating the entry fee with highly visible low-carbon transit networks and transparent environmental infrastructure optimizes public acceptance. Under these conditions, a pricing threshold of United State Dollar ۶.۲۵ causes projected compliance to jump from ۱۸ to ۵۵ percent. Conclusion: The government previously proposed United State Dollar ۴۶.۸۸ tariff triggers an immediate market destabilization and deadweight loss. Furthermore, it engenders severe public opposition rooted in systemic socio-economic disparities. This study proves that integrating green transportation networks functions as a powerful psychological catalyst. This integration shifts visitor utility curves, mitigates financial friction, and ultimately fosters sustainable, equitable cultural heritage governance.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ability to pay (ATP) ، Contingent valuation method (CVM) ، Ecotourism economics ، Sustainable mobility ، Willingness to pay (WTP).