선택실험법을 활용한 생태관광 속성별 선호도 분석: 평촌마을 사례를 중심으로

Many ecotourism destinations increasingly rely on mass tourism infrastructure to ensure economic sustainability. Ironically, this drive to expand visitor amenities increasingly conflicts with—and may ultimately subvert —the conservation principles at the heart of ecotourism. In light of this conservation–development dilemma, this study employed choice experiments to analyze how key attributes of ecotourism destinations affect visitors’ preferences and economic values. Six attributes were selected based on previous studies: vehicle accessibility, village environment and amenities, diversity of experiential activities, abundance of wildlife, provision of linked tourism programs, and entrance fee. Analysis revealed that accessibility via private vehicle, high-quality village environment and amenities, diverse experiential activities, a 100% increase in wildlife abundance, and tourism programs linked to the Damyang region were closely related to visitor preferences. In terms of economic value, the levels of these attributes had a positive impact (private vehicle accessibility: 12,071 won, village environment and amenities: 13,586 won, diversity of experiential activities: 10,120 won, abundance of wildlife: 12,866 won, Damyang region-linked tourism programs: 19,135 won). Furthermore, scenario analysis indicates that visitor preferences show little difference between development-linked and conservation-oriented alternatives under the development-centered scenario. This implies that a composite alternative enhancing both experiential value and conservation can be just as competitive. The study results imply that conservation-centered policies do not necessarily lead to a decline in visitor numbers. This study argues that finding a balance between development and conservation is essential for sustainable ecotourism.