Conservation and Environmental Economics in Protected Areas on the Coast of Bahia, Brazil

Summary This study aimed to estimate the voluntary willingness to pay (WTP) to finance ecosystem services in protected areas designated for marine turtles, located in conservation units (CUs) along the coast of Bahia in the north-east region of Brazil. To this end, the contingent evaluation method was used, with data collected through structured questionnaires applied to visitors to the study area. Linear regression applying the logit model supported by IBM SPSS Statistics software was analyzed and the WTP was calculated. The econometric analysis revealed significance in the variables age, gender, and income, which influenced the average WTP of R$ 37.34 to support the conservation of endangered species. The study reinforces the importance of integration between tourism and conservation and provides subsidies for public policies to strengthen CUs in coastal areas. Information © The Authors 2025