Work

Assessing the Perception and Value of Marine Biodiversity and Taxonomy Research by the Recreational Diving Tourism Industry in Thailand

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The 21st century has seen marine tourism in Southeast Asia transform in response to the rapid growth of SCUBA diving and snorkeling activities in the natural environment. However, despite this level of integration between recreation and the natural environment, few assessments have ever been conducted on the biodiversity or ecosystem values and experiences of the SCUBA diving community. Therefore, we explored the awareness, preferences and priorities of this community, with a particular emphasis on investigating the role of biodiversity documentation and species discoveries in motivating recreational diving. By conducting surveys of 366 recreational divers from Thailand, we were able to identify proportional priorities, finding greater valuation towards overall ecosystem esthetics than megafauna, with species-specific dive experiences being a niche but present interest. We also investigated diver priorities based on recently described or discovered marine fauna in Thai waters, focusing on five species of hard and soft coral, seven species of sea slug, and two species of shark. Of these, sea slug species were the most recognized and garnered the greatest potential economic value, likely due to their popularity with photographers. The results of this multidisciplinary investigation highlight the economic value of taxonomy and biodiversity research to the recreational SCUBA community.

Source: Regional science and environmental economics

DOI: 10.3390/rsee2030026

Authors: Wan Chantavilasvong, Pin Udomcharoenchaikit, Rahul Mehrotra

Institutions: Love Wildlife Foundation, Chulalongkorn University

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207