Thesis (M.S., Natural Resources)--University of Idaho, June 2014 | While the National Park Service has expanded since creation in land area and services provided, budgets have not kept up, threatening the integrity of the visitor experience. In this study, I evaluate willingness to pay (WTP) and potential impacts of a fee increase on demand and park revenue at Timpanogos Cave national Monument (TICA) in central Utah. In July 2013, I conducted a survey of 348 TICA visitors. Logistic regression, factor analysis, and elasticity calculations were used to identify demand factors that affect WTP. I also examined how WTP response varied with the numerical presentation of a fee increase. I found that WTP decreases significantly with each successive level of fee increase and that visitor satisfaction is a key demand factor at TICA. While demand is inelastic, any fee increase would need to be small in order to maintain revenue. In addition, WTP responses were significantly different based on numerical presentation of a fee increase.
