Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to estimate the recreational value of the Dao Co Ecological Tourism Area in Hai Duong Province, Vietnam, and to provide empirical evidence supporting sustainable management and conservation strategies. Research design, data, and methodology: The research employs the Zonal Travel Cost Method (ZTCM) using both primary and secondary data. A total of 420 structured questionnaires were distributed to domestic tourists between January and March 2024, with 398 valid responses. Additional statistics from 2021–2023 were collected from the management board. Tourists were grouped into five zones to estimate travel costs, opportunity costs of time, and related expenditures. The demand function was derived through OLS regression, revealing a significant negative relationship between travel cost and visitation rate (R² = 0.732, p < 0.05). Results: The Dao Co Ecological Tourism Area generates an estimated annual recreational use value of approximately VND 49.49 billion, with a consumer surplus of VND 3.72 billion. These results indicate that the site provides significant economic and recreational benefits to visitors and contributes substantially to local development. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of integrating economic valuation into environmental decision-making and community-based ecotourism management. This study contributes to the empirical understanding of ecosystem service valuation in Vietnam and offers methodological and policy insights for sustainable tourism and resource management.