As coastal areas have a distinct nature with the interaction of the lands and waters, they attract people to enjoy and experience the natural environments physically and intellectually; this generates cultural ecosystem services. Coastal beaches are o...
As coastal areas have a distinct nature with the interaction of the lands and waters, they attract people to enjoy and experience the natural environments physically and intellectually; this generates cultural ecosystem services. Coastal beaches are one of the most common coastal areas for cultural ecosystem services. The purpose of this study was to 1) estimate the economic values of cultural ecosystem services derived from coastal beaches, and 2) expand the estimated values into other beaches across the country using a benefit transfer method. We divided the values of cultural ecosystem services into five different categories based on an extensive literature review: recreation and tourism, landscape and aesthetic, educational, heritage, and inspirational values. The values of tourism and recreation, landscape and aesthetic, and educational services were estimated using the choice experiments. The attributes of the choice experiments consisted of conservation funds, litter, water quality, seascape, landscape, and biodiversity, and the data were collected through online surveys with visitors of 11 representative beaches in Korea. Heritage and inspiration services were estimated using a market goods method based on their expenditures. These values were transferred to 257 beaches across the country. Study results can be used for policy decisions on various restoration and conservation projects caused by coastal erosion and development and on the need and extent of public investments.