Assessing tourist experience and willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation at Mongkrang Hill, Mount Lawu, Central Java, Indonesia
Article Sidebar
Abstract Views: 250
File Views: 89
Main Article Content
Abstract
Abstract. Wulandari AA, Mukarromah AN, Dzihni A, Azzam AK, Deristani A, Sunarto, Setyawan AD. 2025. Assessing tourist experience and willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation at Mongkrang Hill, Mount Lawu, Central Java, Indonesia. Nusantara Bioscience 17: 277-288. Highland ecosystems are ecologically sensitive environments increasingly pressured by nature-based tourism. Mongkrang Hill, located on the southern slopes of Mount Lawu in Karanganyar District, Central Java, Indonesia, has experienced rapid visitor growth, raising concerns regarding vegetation disturbance, waste accumulation, and declining habitat quality. This study assesses tourist experience and Willingness to Pay (WTP) for conservation by integrating the Experiential Value Scale (EVS) with economic valuation. A total of 60 visitors were surveyed using structured questionnaires, supported by field observations and semi-structured interviews. Multiple regression analysis showed that all four EVS dimensions—hedonic, novelty, interaction, and comfort—significantly influenced visitor satisfaction, with novelty and hedonic value being the strongest predictors. Satisfaction, in turn, had a positive and significant effect on WTP (? = 0.90), explaining 80.1% of its variance. The average additional WTP of IDR 15,840 indicates substantial potential for conservation-based financing. Observations further revealed ecological pressures related to trail erosion, vegetation trampling, and improper waste disposal, alongside community benefits through local economic activities and circular economy practices such as plastic waste recycling. The integrated EVS–WTP approach highlights how enhanced visitor experience can strengthen pro-conservation behavior and provide actionable pathways for sustainable ecotourism management. These findings support the development of experience-based conservation strategies for biodiversity protection in highland ecosystems.
Article Details
Issue
Section
How to Cite
References
Androniceanu A, Kinnunen J, Georgescu I. 2021. Circular economy as a strategic option to promote sustainable economic growth and effective human development. J Intl Stud 14 (1): 60-73. DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2021/14-1/4.
Arimurti NH, Sularso KE, Hartati A. 2021. Willingness to pay for organic rice in Banyumas Regency and factors influencing it. Forum Agribisnis 11: 1: 75-89. DOI: 10.29244/fagb.11.1.75-89. [Indonesian]
Ashar DA, Muthalib AA, Nur S, Rumbia WA, Barani LOS, Tamburaka IP. 2023. Analysis of factors affecting willingness to pay among household consumers (Study on PDAM Tirta Anoa–Kendari City). Jurnal Progres Ekonomi Pembangunan (JPEP) 8 (2): 161-170. [Indonesian]
Bani A, Benu F, Kotta H. 2020. Willingness to Pay (WTP) for environmental services groundwater resources wells in Kupang City. J Nat Resour Environ Manag 10 (2): 173-182. DOI: 10.29244/jpsl.10.2.173-182.
Blomstervik IH, Prebensen NK, Campos AC, Pinto P. 2021. Novelty in tourism experiences: The influence of physical staging and human interaction on behavioral intentions. Curr Issues Tour 24 (20): 2921-2938. DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2020.1854197.
Casey JF. Brown C. Schuhmann P. 2009. Are tourists willing to pay additional fees to protect corals in Mexico? J Sustain Tour 18 (4): 557-573. DOI: 10.1080/09669580903513079.
Chan JKL, Saikim FH. 2022. Exploring the ecotourism service experience framework using the dimensions of motivation, expectation, and ecotourism experience. Tour Hosp Res 22 (4): 425-443. DOI: 10.1177/14673584211056860.
Deng Y, Zhang X, Zhang B, Zhang B, Qin J. 2023. From digital museuming to on-site visiting: The mediation of cultural identity and perceived value. Front Psychol 14: 1111917. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1111917.
Elena S. 2024. Environmental sustainability in tourism: Strategies for protecting natural resources and reducing negative impacts. Intl Conf Adapt Learning Technol 5: 80-82.
Estiyantara NS. 2022. Analysis of the synergy between the Gondosuli Village tourism working group and Perhutani in the management of Bukit Mongkrang Tourism in Karanganyar, Central Java. Altasia Jurnal Pariwisata Indonesia 4 (1): 34-44. DOI: 10.37253/altasia.v4i1.6287. [Indonesian]
Faridawati D, Sudarti. 2021. Public knowledge about the burning effect on the enviroment of Jember District. Jurnal Sanitasi Lingkungan 1 (2): 50-55. DOI: 10.36086/salink.v1i2.1088. [Indonesian]
Gallarza MG. Maubisson L Rivière A. 2021. Replicating consumer value scales: A comparative study of EVS and PERVAL at a cultural heritage site. J Bus Res 126: 614-623 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.01.070.
Gupta A, Zhu H, Bhammar H, Earley E, Filipski M, Narain U, Spencer P, Whitney E, Taylor JE. 2023. Economic impact of nature-based tourism. PLoS One 18 (4): e0282912. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282912.
Habibi F, Supriani I, Tumewang YK. 2024. The antecedents of muslim tourists' revisit intention: The mediating role of visitor satisfaction. Shirkah: J Econ Bus 10 (1): 20-41. DOI: 10.22515/shirkah.v10i1.731.
Hanemann WM. 1991. Willingness to pay and willingness to accept: How much can they differ? The American economic review. Am Econ Rev 81 (3): 635-647. DOI: 10.1257/000282803321455430.
Hasanah U, Ibrahim I, and Luqman L. 2023. The pentahelix model in community-based tourism on Lemukutan Island, Bengkayang. I-Econ: Res J Islamic Econ 9 (2): 125-137. DOI: 10.19109/ieconomics.v9i2.20337. [Indonesian]
Jakhar R, Samek L, Styszko K. 2023. A comprehensive study of the impact of waste fires on the environment and health. Sustainability 15 (19): 14241. DOI: 10.3390/su15191424.
Kencana NB, Azizah R. 2022. The conversion of Mongkrang Hill into a Mountain Climbing Nature Tourism Site. SIAR III 2022: Seminar Ilmiah Arsitektur 2022: 360-366. [Indonesian]
Kurnia S, Alamsyahbana MI, Chartady R, Arifin SV, Sesaria MI. 2023. Circular solutions for decent work and economic growth: Lessons from Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8. Academia Open 8 (1): 1-12. DOI: 10.21070/acopen.8.2023.6657. [Indonesian]
Kusherdyana R, Muslim S, Soesanto H, Suganda RSA. 2020. Contribution of tourist experience to revisiting tourist intentions in the Seribu Islands, DKI Jakarta. Tour Sci J 5 (2): 133-147. DOI: 10.32659/tsj.v5i2.89.
Kusumawardhani Y. 2022. Role of facilities on visitor satisfaction in Gunung Bunder Natural Tourism, Bogor Regency. Jurnal Hospitality dan Pariwisata 8 (1): 65-75. DOI: 10.30813/jhp.v8i1.3211. [Indonesian]
Lahane S, Kant R. 2022. Investigating the sustainable development goals derived due to adoption of circular economy practices. Waste Manag 143: 1-14. DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.02.016.
Larsen S, Wolff K, Doran R, Øgaard T. 2019. What makes tourist experiences interesting? Front Psychol 10: 1603. DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2020.1803221.
Li L, Feng R, Xi J, Huijbens E, Gao Y. 2023. Distinguishing the impact of tourism development on ecosystem service trade-offs in ecological functional zones. J Environ Manag 342: 118183 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118183.
Li Q, Wang X, Chen Z, Arif M. 2024. Assessing the conjunction of environmental sustainability and tourism development along Chinese waterways. Ecol Indic 166: 112281. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112281.
Liu Z, Lan J, Chien F, Sadiq M, Nawaz MA. 2022. Role of tourism development in environmental degradation: A step towards emission reduction. J Environ Manag 303: 114078. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114078.
Mohamad N, Lahay RJ. 2021. Analysis of the environmental sustainability value of the Tasik Ria Tourism based on Willingness To Pay. Ideas: Educ Soc Cult J 7 (4): 277-282. DOI: 10.32884/ideas.v7i4.475.
Nguyen TT, Grote U, Neubacher F, Rahut DB, Do MH, Paudel GP. 2023. Security risks from climate change and environmental degradation: Implications for sustainable land use transformation in the Global South. Curr Opin Environ Sustain 63: 101322 DOI: 10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101322.
Nurmala, Sullaida, Damanhur. 2022. The influence of tourist facilities, tourist attractions, and service quality on visitor satisfaction at Ujong Blang Beach, Lhokseumawe. Jurnal Ekonomi Manajemen dan Bisnis 23 (2): 73-78 DOI: 10.29103/e-mabis.v23i2.861. [Indonesian]
Nyamboke F. 2023. Community engagement in sustainable tourism development: Opportunities and challenges for local residents. Hosp Tour J 1 (1): 24-35.
Park S, Ahn D. 2022. Seeking pleasure or meaning? The different impacts of hedonic and eudaimonic tourism happiness on tourists' life satisfaction. Intl J Environ Res Public Health 19 (3): 1162. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031162.
Perhutani. 2022. Bukit Mongkrang, Perhutani's Nature-Based Tourist Attraction in Tawangmangu. Access: 28 April 2025, https://www.perhutani.co.id/bukit-mongkrang-wisata-perhutani-berkonsep-alam-di-tawangmangu/. [Indonesian]
Pertiwi TA, Noechdijati D, Dharmawan B. 2022. Analysis of visitors' Willingness to Pay in the development of "sweetberry" agrotourism in Cianjur Regency. Jurnal Ekonomi Pertanian dan Agribisnis 6 (2): 500-518. DOI: 10.21776/ub.jepa.2022.006.02.15. [Indonesian]
Petrick JF. Backman SJ. 2002. An examination of the construct of perceived value for the prediction of golf travelers’ intentions to revisit. J Travel Res 41: 38-45. DOI: 10.1177/0047287502041001005.
Ponsignon F, Jaud DA, Durrieu F, Lunardo R. 2024. The ability of experience design characteristics to elicit epistemic value, hedonic value, and visitor satisfaction in a wine museum. Intl J Contemp Hosp Manag 36 (8): 2582-2600. DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-07-2023-1081.
Prebensen NK, Rosengren S. 2016. Experience value as a function of hedonic and utilitarian dominant services. Intl J Contemp Hosp Manag 28 (1): 113-135. DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-02-2014-0073.
Putranto DR, Hariyanto H, and Benardi AI. 2020. The behavior of mountain climbers in reducing environmental damage occurring in Mount Merbabu National Park. Educ Geograph 8 (2): 121-129. [Indonesian]
Rafitanuri S, Arsyida N, Gunawan R. 2022. Analysis of public satisfaction levels with motor vehicle tax payment services based on the signal application at the Tanjungpinang City Samsat Office. Jurnal Hukum, Politik dan Ilmu Sosial 1 (3): 92-103. DOI: 10.55606/jhpis.v1i3.537. [Indonesian]
Rahmati D, Mortazavi SA, Alamdarlo HN, Vakilpour MH. 2023. Heterogeneity preferences and willingness to pay for environmental services: Evidence from Iran. J Clean Prod 386: 135838. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135838.
Rosa LABD, Cohen M, Campos WYYZ, Ávila LV, Rodrigues MCM. 2023. Circular economy and sustainable development goals: Main research trends. Revista de Administração da UFSM 16 (1): 1. DOI: 10.5902/1983465971448.
Skavronskaya L, Moyle B, Scott N. 2020. The experience of novelty and the novelty of experience. Front Psychol 11: 322. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00322.
Stienmetz J, Kim JJ, Xiang Z, Fesenmaier DR. 2021. Managing the structure of tourism experiences: Foundations for tourism design. J Destin Mark Manag 19: 100408. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2019.100408.
Tiwari S, Marahatta D, Devkota H. 2024. Aspects of community participation in ecotourism: A systematic review. J Multidiscip Res Adv 2 (1): 71-79. DOI: 10.3126/jomra.v2i1.66650.
Trabandt M, Lasarov W, Viglia G. 2024. It's a pleasure to stay sustainably: Leveraging hedonic appeals in tourism and hospitality. Tour Manag 103: 104907. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2024.104907.
Vittersø J, Prebensen NK, Hetland A, Dahl T. 2017. The emotional traveler: Happiness and engagement as predictors of behavioral intentions among tourists in Northern Norway. Adv Hosp Leisure 13: 3-16. DOI: 10.1108/S1745-354220170000013001.
Wahyudi F, Irsan R, Sutrisno H. 2023. Waste management planning at Lemukutan Island Tourist Attraction, Bengkayang Regency. Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan Lahan Basah 11 (1): 205-214. DOI: 10.26418/jtllb.v11i1.61219. [Indonesian]
Windira A, Waluya B, Yuniawati Y. 2017. The effect of experiential value of tourist behavioral intentions in Taman Buah Mekarsari. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci 145: 012022. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/145/1/012022.
Yee SH. 2020. Contributions of ecosystem services to human well-being in Puerto Rico. Sustainability 12 (22): 1-38 DOI: 10.3390/su12229625.
Zuska F, Agustrisno, Delvian, Zulkifli. 2024. Building a participatory system for controlling littering behavior of tourist park visitors. Pelita Masyarakat 6 (1): 40-56. DOI: 10.31289/pelitamasyarakat.v6i1.11996. [Indonesian]
Zwart R, Hines R. 2022. Community wellness and social support as motivation for participation in outdoor adventure recreation. J Outdoor Recreat Educ Leadersh 14 (1): 1-15. DOI: 10.18666/JOREL-2022-V14-I1-11139.