Visitors’ Awareness and Willingness-to-Pay towards Coastal Sustainability in Cherating, Pahang

Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 Serdang, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: rahimah_rahim@upm.edu.my

Abstract

Coastal severe erosion has been detected on the beaches of Cherating, causing disruption to the coastal ecosystem and diminishing the aesthetic appeal that attracts visitors. To prevent further harm to the coast, it is necessary to enhance sustainable coastal management practices. However, the implementation of such measures can be expensive. To ensure the success of improved sustainable coastal management, it is important to secure public funding, possibly through one-time donations, to cover the capital costs of the improvement project. Therefore, obtaining the acceptance of visitors regarding the enhanced sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach is crucial. This study aimed to assess visitor acceptance based on three objectives: (i) determining the visitors’ level of awareness regarding the issue of coastal erosion at Cherating Beach, (ii) estimating the extent of visitors’ willingness-to-pay towards the improvement of sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach, and (iii) identifying the key factors influencing visitors’ willingness-to-pay towards the improvement of sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach. A sample of 385 visitors in Cherating was surveyed using an open-ended contingent valuation method questionnaire using convenience sampling. The analysis included descriptive analysis, estimation of visitors’ willingness-to-pay and binary logistic regression. The main findings revealed that the majority of visitors had a high level of awareness regarding coastal erosion in Cherating Beach. In terms of willingness-to-pay, visitors indicated a willingness-to-pay RM 13.15 per person as a one-time donation for implementing sustainable coastal management. The findings also demonstrated that visitors with higher education levels were more likely to donate towards improving sustainable coastal management. Overall, the visitors’ feedback was positive, suggesting that providing this acceptance information to the Kuantan City Council and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Pahang, could be beneficial in implementing strategies for sustainable coastal management in Cherating Beach.