The Benefits of recreation in Poland on the example of the “Nad Tanwią” Nature Reserve

The quality of valuable natural areas is assessed through the prism of benefits derived from all the functions performed by them, among which tourist and recreational functions play an increasingly important role. The comparison of benefits and costs related to the provision of recreational services has an impact on the learning of tools used to assess tourist investments. The main purpose of the article was to determine financial benefits obtained by tourists visiting the „Nad Tanwią” Nature Reserve located in the south-eastern part of Poland, calculated using the travel cost method. The survey method was used as part of the research. Surveys were conducted from May to September 2017 on a group of 341 respondents. Data regarding the length of the visit and the amount of costs related to the stay in the Reserve were subjected to statistical analysis using the CART method. The results of the survey showed that the respondents reported a need for 14 types of visits depending on their duration. The value of the consumer surplus amounted to PLN 986/person, and the value of the gross benefit amounted to PLN 1,069/person. The value of the consumer surplus, which was the share of tourists visiting the Reserve during the year, amounted to PLN 108 million, and the gross value of non-market benefits for this group was PLN 118 million. Building a model of travel costs in the area of the Reserve allows for the assessment of recreational benefits of this place. The development of tourism and recreation in areas attractive in terms of nature contributes to improvement with regard to meeting recreational needs of tourists and the existing transportation infrastructure.