Tiya

Non-market Valuation of Tiya Megalithic World Cultural Heritage of Ethiopia, Application of Travel Cost and Contingent Valuation Methods

Researchers estimate the total economic value of Tiya, Ethiopia's megalithic World Heritage site, at 9.6 million ETB annually through use and nonuse values. The study applies Travel Cost Method (TCM) to assess recreational demand, revealing key determinants like travel cost, income, and visitor characteristics, while Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) quantifies community willingness to pay for preservation. Using truncated Poisson regression for use value and bivariate probit modeling for nonuse value, the findings highlight Tiya's significant cultural and economic importance, advocating for targeted maintenance to sustain its benefits.