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Journal of Resources and Ecology >

2025 , Vol. 16 >Issue 1: 73 - 80

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2025.01.007

Resource Economy

Factors Influencing Local Visitors’ Willingness to Pay an Entrance Fee of the East Lake, Wuhan, China

  • Matthew Nitanan Koshy , *
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  • Department of Environment, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
*Matthew Nitanan Koshy, E-mail:

Received date: 2024-06-08

  Accepted date: 2024-09-10

  Online published: 2025-01-21

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Abstract

The infrastructure of East Lake has undergone a gradual process of degeneration, necessitating the allocation of adequate financial resources to ensure the preservation and sustenance of its ecological environment. However, insufficient funds for conservation and management pose a problem for the management of Urban East Lake. Consequently, the research aimed to (1) identify the local visitor’s satisfaction level with East Lake’s facilities and environmental quality; (2) determine the visitors’ perception of the conservation and management aspect of East Lake; (3) identify factors influencing local visitors’ willingness to pay an entrance fee to East Lake, and (4) estimate an appropriate entrance fee for East Lake. Utilising the Contingent Valuation Method, visitors' willingness to pay was determined. The accumulation of 449 samples was based on convenience sampling. The results indicated that visitor satisfaction and attitude were both high. In addition, respondents had a good perception on East Lake. Age, income, and education level were factors that substantially affected visitors’ willingness to pay; however, only the visitor variable had a positive coefficient. The estimated entrance fee was 2 USD per individual per visit. The research’s findings provided significant policy and recommendations; they would serve as a baseline for the management to impose an entrance fee in East Lake.

Key words： contingent valuation method (CVM); satisfaction; perception; willingness to pay (WTP)

Cite this article

Matthew Nitanan Koshy . Factors Influencing Local Visitors’ Willingness to Pay an Entrance Fee of the East Lake, Wuhan, China[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2025 , 16(1) : 73 -80 . DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2025.01.007

1 Introduction

An urban lake is defined as an inland surface water body surrounded by an urban environment (Persson, 2012). The urban lake is not only a feature of the city’s landscape, but it also serves the purposes of environmental enhancement, climate regulation, flood prevention and drainage, nutrient sediment removal, and effluent purification, in addition to having tourism value (Shafee et al., 2024).
Water quality degradation is a problem in urban lakes across the globe. According to Ngai et al. (2012), the water quality problem of urban lakes is practically a universal issue. Other issues include garbage discovered in Lake Baikal in Russia as a result of negligent visitor behaviour. In addition, a scarcity of facilities is one of the urban lake’s concerns. The water bodies of urban lakes have deteriorated as a consequence. In addition, this resulted in lake contraction, ecological degradation, a reduction in lake regulation and storage capacity, a decline in water quality and a worsening of eutrophication, a decrease in biodiversity, etc. (Yang et al., 2010; Zhang et al., 2022).
China is blessed with numerous urban lakes, including Yunlong Lake in Xuzhou, South Lake in Wuhan, East Lake in Wuhan, Bali Lake in Jiujiang, and Cihu Lake in Huangshi. Wuhan is situated in the middle of the Yangtze River and the Jianghan Plain to the east. Numerous water bodies, encompassing rivers and lakes, serve as prolific breeding grounds for abundant aquatic biological resources. East Lake, one of China’s urban lakes, faces management issues due to a lack of jurisdiction and effective control and can only rely on the coordination of relevant government departments.
The problems in East Lake include worsening air and noise pollution in the scenic area, as well as a decline in the quality of the visitor’s environment due to the fact that it is one of the primary traffic channels, with all types of vehicles perpetually accessing the scenic area (Wuhan Municipal People’s Government, 2022). The East Lake was contaminated by domestic sewage and surface runoff (Wuhan Ecological Environment Bureau, 2023). The restoration of East Lake’s environmental protection is insufficient. Common environmental issues associated with the lake include severe water contamination and eutrophication, the degradation of the water ecosystem, and the loss of biodiversity. Regarding the current management of East Lake, both the central and local governments have responded positively to the restoration of the lake’s environment; however, the local governments and the state continue to confront funding challenges for East Lake protection (Lu et al., 2021). In this regard, East Lake visitors are not subject to any entrance fee despite the benefits they receive. Therefore, instituting an entrance fee for visitors to the lake would help supplement the insufficient funds required to manage East Lake. Efforts to restore the area’s water and air quality could be enhanced by using the funds. Potential measures include strengthening road dust control and comprehensive management of non-road mobile sources, establishing water quality analysis and judgement, combining water quality monitoring data and climate conditions, and conducting water quality analysis and prediction, early warning, and forecasting.
Furthermore, the present research was motivated by a dearth of scholarly discourse in the extant body of literature, alongside the challenges encountered at the designated location. A few studies employed the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to determine visitors’ willingness to pay an entrance fee to a scenic location based on urban lakes worldwide (Wang and Jia, 2012; Sharip and Noor, 2021). Moreover, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no research had been conducted on the willingness to pay an entrance fee to East Lake.
Hence, this research aimed to 1) Identify the local visitor’s satisfaction level with East Lake’s facilities and environmental quality; 2) Determine the visitors’ perception of the conservation and management aspect of East Lake; 3) Identify factors influencing local visitors’ willingness to pay an entrance fee to East Lake; and 4) Estimate an appropriate entrance fee for East Lake.

2 Materials and methods

2.1 Study area

This research was conducted in East Lake (114°22'37"E, 30°34'17"N), Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. East Lake is located between Wuhan Second Ring Road and Wuhan Third Ring Road in downtown Wuhan. The scenic area encompasses 73 km2 and 3300 ha of lakes. It is China’s second-largest urban lake. The Wuhan East Lake, an expansive body of water, is encompassed by a picturesque landscape of interconnected lakes and majestic mountains. It offers visitors various avenues for leisure and amusement. The destination stands as a preeminent allure, drawing innumerable domestic and international tourists on an annual basis (Wuhan Ecological Environment Bureau, 2023). The East Lake, colloquially referred to as a national wetland park, boasts the dual attributes of flood storage capacity and abundant biodiversity.

2.2 Contingent Valuation Method

The Conditional Valuation Method is an economic method that can evaluate an area’s natural resources based on its economic value. This method was chosen because CVM has historically been utilised to evaluate the environment of lakes and wetlands. The results are impractical, despite the method’s deviations, because the method depends on human perception. Choice Modelling (CM) is a method similar to contingent valuation that can also be used to determine the use value of resources in addition to the non-use value. CM requires more sophisticated statistical techniques than CVM to estimate intent to pay. In light of the need to ascertain respondents’ valuations of natural resources, CVM is an effective method for assessing respondents’ willingness to pay.
In this research, out of all the techniques for CVM like Payment Card, Bidding Game, Single Bound CVM, and Double Bound CVM, the Open-Ended CVM was opted for because choosing open-ended questionnaires helps to more accurately assess willingness to pay (O’Connor et al., 1999). Kong et al. (2014) are examples of other researchers who used regression for open-ended CVM.

2.3 Model specification

The utilisation of multiple regression analysis proved to be a fitting method for the analysis of Open-Ended CVM in the present research, wherein the dependent variable under investigation pertained to continuous data. The regression model employed in this research was as follows:
$Y=\beta_{1} x_{1}+\beta_{2} x_{2}+\beta_{3} x_{3}+\beta_{4} x_{4}+\beta_{5} x_{5}+C$
where, Y is the dependent variable and it is maximum amount of willingness to pay; x1 is visitor’s perception of the environment; x2 is income (yuan); x3 is visitor’s education level; x4 is visitor’s age; x5 is visitor’s gender; βi is the coefficient for variable xi; C is constant.

2.4 Fieldwork

The questionnaire structure comprised four parts: 1) Socio- demographics; 2) Visitors’ satisfaction level with the facilities and the environment; 3) Perception of the conservation and management of East Lake; and 4) Willingness to pay. The last section contained the following scenario:
1) Are you willing to pay an entrance fee to visit the East Lake Scenic Area?
Yes (please go to question 2) / No
2) What is the highest amount you would be willing to pay an entrance fee to the East Lake Scenic Area?
______________________________ (yuan)/visit
China’s East Lake is the second-largest urban lake in the country. It is currently experiencing some environmental issues. The environmental pollution of East Lake is becoming increasingly severe, as evidenced by deteriorating water quality and inadequate traffic management of the scenic area (loud commotion, gas emissions, etc.). Moreover, odour in lake water quality and diminished biodiversity. Consequently, infrastructure maintenance is required. In order to enhance the environment and infrastructure of East Lake, it is necessary to supplement the limited/insufficient government budget with additional funds. In this regard, the implementation of an entrance fee would aid in resolving the issue.
The selected survey method included both face-to-face and self-administered questionnaires. Visitors were selected based on convinience sampling at the entrance, lakeside, and rest area of the scenic area over the course of two weeks. In terms of sample size, the East Lake Scenic Area received 20 million visitors in 2019. Thus, the formula developed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) was utilised to determine the sample size, which was 384 respondents. However, up to 449 additional samples were collected with the assistance of enumerators.

2.5 Reliability

Part B (Visitors’ satisfaction level with facilities and environment in East Lake Scenic Area, Wuhan, China) and Part C (Perception of East Lake Scenic Area, Wuhan, China management and conservation) underwent the reliability test. Thirty East Lake respondents were selected for the pilot data reliability tests. The result revealed that the Cronbach alpha value for the level of satisfaction with the facilities was 0.884%. The environment’s satisfaction level was 0.853. The result indicated that the Perception of East Lake’s Cronbach alpha value was 0.856%. The discovered value was acceptable because a Cronbach value greater than 0.8 was preferred for the reliability test (Pallant, 2020).

2.6 Data analysis

In the research, both descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. Descriptive analysis addressed objectives 1 and 2. For objectives 3 and 4, inferential statistics were performed using the SPSS software.

3 Results

According to Table 1, 230 respondents were male (51.22%) and 219 were female (48.78%). Individuals aged 21-30, 31-40, and 41-50 years accounted for at least 20% of the five age groups, while those aged 51-60 and over 60 accounted for less than 20%. In terms of level of education, 71 respondents (15.81%) have completed primary school, 78 respondents (17.37%) have completed junior high school, and more than half of the respondents (66.82%) have completed higher education. Regarding monthly income, the majority of respondents have a monthly income between 2500 and 4999 yuan (45.21%), followed by 5000 to 7999 yuan (30.73%), 8000 to 12000 yuan (16.70%), and a small percentage of respondents (7.35%). 75.72% of the respondents are married, while 24.2% are single. Regarding the origin, among all the respondents, nearly half (45.66%) are from the Wuchang area, only 23.61% are from the Hankou area, and only 30.73% are from the Hanyang area. In this regard, the Wuchang district is nearest to East Lake. Moreover, most respondents (97.38%) were not first-time visitors to East Lake.
Table 1 Socio-demographics of respondents (N=449)
Variables Items Number Percentage (%)
Age (yr) 21-30 126 28.06
31-40 150 33.41
41-50 92 20.49
51-60 66 14.70
Over 60 15 3.34
Gender Male 230 51.22
Female 219 48.78
Education
level		 Primary school (Standard 1-6) 71 15.81
Secondary school (Standard 7-10) 78 17.37
High school (Standard 11-13) 132 29.40
Bachelor 154 34.30
Master/PhD 14 3.12
Gross monthly income
(yuan)		 2500-4999 203 45.21
5000-7999 138 30.73
8000-12000 75 16.70
Above 12000 33 7.35
Occupation Public 136 30.29
Private 217 48.33
Farmers 25 5.57
Self-employed 71 15.82
Marital status Yes 340 75.72
No 109 24.28
Respondent
origin		 Wuchang 205 45.66
Hankou 106 23.61
Hanyang 138 30.73
Frequency
of travel		 0 11 2.62
1 15 3.57
2 28 6.67
3 57 13.57
4 49 11.67
5 138 32.86
Above 5 122 29.04
Table 2 displays a mean of 3.81 for all items relating to satisfaction with East Lake facilities. The mean score at level 3 indicates high satisfaction. The highest mean for each item is 3.98 for satisfaction with clean sidewalks, while the lowest is 3.68 for an adequate number of seats in East Lake.
Table 2 Satisfaction level on facilities
Items Strongly disagree (%) Disagree
(%)		 Neutral
(%)		 Agree
(%)		 Strongly
agree (%)		 Mean Level
1. The cleanliness of the walking pathway 3.79 7.80 12.03 39.87 36.53 3.98 3
2. The walking pathway is in a good condition 7.57 7.57 17.82 31.18 35.86 3.80 3
3. The toilets are clean 6.90 9.13 17.37 30.73 35.86 3.79 3
4. There are an adequate number of trash bins 6.46 11.36 18.26 28.73 35.19 3.75 3
5. The handrails are in good condition 6.90 9.35 17.37 32.07 34.30 3.77 3
6. The condition of the steps 7.35 8.02 14.70 31.40 38.53 3.86 3
7. The pier in the East Lake Scenic Area is safe 6.01 7.57 15.81 34.30 36.30 3.87 3
8. The number of rest benches is adequate 8.02 11.14 18.93 27.84 34.08 3.68 3
Overall mean 3.81 3

Note: The five-point Likert scale ranges from the lowest “Strongly disagree-1,” to “Disagree-2”, “Neutral-3”, “Agree-4,” and “Strongly agree-5”. The scales are divided into three categories: the first level 1-2.339 is Low (level 1), 2.34-3.669 is Medium (level 2), and 3.67-5.00 is High (level 3). The same below.

Table 3 displays the level of satisfaction of East Lake’s local visitors with regard to environmental quality. The overall mean score was 3.71, which indicated a high level of satisfaction. The highest air quality of the scenic location received the highest satisfaction score of 3.87 out of all the satisfaction items. In contrast, item 1, regarding the smell from East Lake, received the medium satisfaction level (3.40).
Table 3 Level of environmental satisfaction
Items Strongly
disagree (%)		 Disagree
(%)		 Neutral
(%)		 Agree
(%)		 Strongly
agree (%)		 Mean Level
1. The East Lake Scenic Area water has no peculiar smell 18.26 15.81 14.03 11.80 40.09 3.40 2
2. The air quality in East Lake Scenic Area is good 6.01 7.57 17.59 30.73 38.04 3.87 3
3. The East Lake Scenic Area is free of noise pollution 7.35 8.46 18.71 31.18 34.30 3.77 3
4. The solid waste management is efficient 6.24 10.69 19.82 29.62 33.63 3.70 3
5. The East Lake crowding level 6.68 8.02 18.04 29.62 37.64 3.84 3
Overall mean 3.71 3
The visitors’ perceptions regarding the conservation and administration of East Lake are presented in Table 4. The overall mean score of 3.86 indicates that visitors have a good perception of East Lake. The item with the highest mean score, 4.70, demonstrated the significance of the lake in the national wetland area. The second highest rating was 3.87, which indicated that the majority of respondents believed that environmental restoration had enhanced their living environment. The majority of respondents were sceptical that aquatic plants have a positive impact on the human environment, as indicated by a score of 3.70. This finding is consistent with Wood et al. (2021) acknowledging its importance. With a score of 3.51, item 4 on respondents’ perceptions regarding introducing an entrance fee received the lowest score.
Table 4 Visitors’ perceptions of East Lake
Perception item Strongly
disagree (%)		 Disagree
(%)		 Neutral
(%)		 Agree
(%)		 Strongly agree (%) Mean Level
1. Funding is needed to restore East Lake water quality 5.79 10.69 17.37 29.62 36.53 3.80 3
2. Funding is needed to maintain the current facilities in the East Lake 7.57 10.47 19.15 28.95 33.85 3.71 3
3. Funding is needed to add the facilities in the East Lake 5.35 10.91 18.04 31.18 34.52 3.79 3
4. Entrance fee should be introduced in East Lake 11.80 12.69 17.15 29.62 28.73 3.51 2
5. Aquatic plants have a positive impact on humans or the environment 7.57 10.91 18.04 30.73 32.74 3.70 3
6. Wetland resources should be protected 6.24 10.47 13.36 32.74 37.19 3.84 3
7. Would (NOT) rather destroy wetlands than continue to promote economic
development		 34.74 28.89 16.04 9.13 11.80 4.70 3
8. The environmental restoration of the East Lake has a good impact on the
living environment		 5.57 8.69 18.04 28.51 39.20 3.87 3
9. The ecological environment of East Lake is precious 7.13 7.80 16.26 33.63 35.19 3.82 3
10. East Lake conservation initiatives should be carried out in the entire East Lake 7.57 10.47 17.15 26.95 37.86 3.77 3
Overall mean 3.86 3

3.1 Factors influencing willingness to pay

The research found that 64.37% of respondents agreed, while 35.63% disagreed with the items regarding willingness to pay an entrance fee. Prior to performing multiple regression analyses, multiple tests were conducted. First, a correlation test was undertaken to detect multicollinearity. The correlation between perception and satisfaction with facilities and satisfaction with environmental quality was found to be substantial, with a value greater than 0.80. In the subsequent multiple regression analysis, only the perception variable was tested.
According to the normality test (see Table 5), all variables lie within the range of -2 to 2, indicating normal data for all the continuous variables and satisfying the fundamental assumptions of the multiple regression analysis. In addition to removing outliers, the maximum WTP value (dependent variable) data were transformed into log form as they were not normally distributed.
Table 5 Normality test
Items Satisfaction with facilities Satisfaction with environment Perception Willingness to pay
(ln wtp)
Std. deviation 6.473 4.281 7.9082 0.61019
Skewness -0.931 -0.555 -0.659 -0.144
Std. error of
Skewness		 0.115 0.115 0.115 0.116
Kurtosis 0.443 -0.157 0.527 -1.487
Std. error of
Kurtosis		 0.230 0.230 0.230 0.232
According to Table 6, the F-value of 2.004 is statistically significant at the 10% level. This indicates that the regression model below is more likely to contain significant predictors. Next, the R2 value is 0.23. However, it is crucial to note that the research aimed to identify the predictors of the maximum WTP. The VIF Value was then used to test for multicollinearity, with a cutoff value of less than 10. Three variables, namely income, age, and education levels, are significant at or above the 10% level in the model. However, only income has a positive relationship with maximum willingness to pay, as indicated by a positive coefficient. The highest entrance fee the visitors were willing to pay showed an inverse relationship with age and education level, denoted by a negative coefficient.
Table 6 Multiple regression
Variable Unstandardised Coefficients Beta Standard error Standardised coefficient beta P-value VIF
Constant 0.940 0.188 0.000
Income 0.064 0.036 0.097 0.077* 1.327
Age -0.051 0.026 -0.095 0.053* 1.066
Gender -0.003 0.058 -0.003 0.955 1.003
Perception 0.001 0.004 0.001 0.818 1.020
Education level -0.108 0.039 -0.157 0.005*** 1.387
F-value: 2.004 (sig. 0.077)
R2 0.23

Note: * means at 10% significant level; *** means at 1% significant level.

3.2 Willingness to pay estimation for open-ended CVM

Willingness to pay (WTP) estimation for open-ended Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was as follows (Equation 2) (Honu, 2007):
$\text { MeanWTP }=\frac{1}{N} \sum_{i=1}^{N} W T P_{i}$
where, N is the total number of respondents; i is an index variable that represents each individual respondent in the sample; WTPi is individual willingness to pay amount from each respondent i. Based on it, the WTP value is found to be 14 yuan (approximately equal to 2 USD).

4 Discussion

The overall mean for satisfaction in the facilities section indicates a high level of satisfaction with the cleanliness of the sidewalks. Consistently, the findings of a study by Lee et al. (2021) indicated that respondents or users exhibited a high level of satisfaction with the cleanliness of the sidewalks. Due to the large number of visitors to East Lake, there were insufficient chairs for visitors to rest. This resulted in the lowest level of satisfaction. Regarding this park, Song (2018) reported that visitors believed infrastructure optimisation to be the top priority in the scenic area.
The item “The handrails are in good condition” also exhibited a comparatively lower mean, which can be attributed to the insufficient availability of both seating arrangements and handrails. Consistent with the findings of Isradi et al. (2021) and Huh et al. (2022). They suggested that safety features, such as handrails, are essential for overall satisfaction with outdoor facilities. This indicates that, on average, respondents or users in the East Lake area are marginally less satisfied with the accessibility of seating and handrail facilities. The average ratings provide a snapshot of customer satisfaction, but further examination or intervention may be required based on the establishment’s or organisation’s objectives and priorities. If the East Lake region is significant to its users, it may be necessary to prioritise the resolution of accommodation issues in order to increase overall satisfaction.
In terms of environmental satisfaction, the respondents had a high level of overall satisfaction with East Lake. In contrast, Sethy and Senapati (2023) discovered that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with the environmental quality of Chilika Lake in India’s Puri District. On this note, Sethy and Senapati (2023) discovered that visitors viewed the lake’s deteriorating environment as the most severe problem and their lowest level of satisfaction with water quality was associated with the lake’s water contamination. In accordance with this finding, Milanovi et al. (2020) identified the potential concern or issue associated with water quality as a critical environmental factor that affected visitors’ satisfaction. Addressing water quality concerns, Ramdhani and Astuti (2019) argued that ensuring the absence of disagreeable aromas in the water could be crucial to enhancing overall contentment with the local environment. There may be a need for additional investigation and corrective measures to address this particular issue.
The item “The air quality in East Lake Scenic Area is good” received a mean score of 3.87, indicating a relatively high level of satisfaction but not enough to qualify as “satisfied”. A high mean score in this context suggests that the majority of survey respondents perceive the air quality to be positive and do not have significant concerns regarding air pollution or related issues. This was the conclusion of a systematic review conducted by Eusébio et al. (2021). They studied the relationship between air quality and tourism. Their findings indicated that good air quality was essential for visitors’ overall enjoyment and well-being in a scenic area, as poor air quality can have adverse health and environmental effects. This item’s high mean score is a positive indicator of the environmental quality in the East Lake Scenic Area. It is likely to contribute to an improved overall experience for visitors and residents. In general, a spectrum of satisfaction levels is observable, encompassing several factors corresponding to the umbrella term “environment”.
Findings on the perception of East Lake Scenic Area, Wuhan, China conservation and management showed that the respondents had a high agreement level on the need for funding to restore water quality and facilities at the East Lake (see items 1, 2 and 3) in Table 4. As an ecologically protected area, Wang and Jia (2012) discovered that as a result of government funding shortages, the environment and resources upon which tourism’s survival and development depended have become increasingly degraded, threatening its long-term viability and necessitating additional funding for conservation purposes. Nearly half of the respondents were willing to support the implementation of an entrance fee at East Lake (item 4). This demonstrated that the respondents not only desired the improvement of the scenic area but also supported the improvement of the scenic area. Regarding visitors’ awareness of East Lake’s resources, more than sixty per cent of respondents recognised the environmental significance of aquatic vegetation and the need to protect East Lake. In this regard, previous research revealed that tourists were willing to contribute to the environmental protection of scenic areas (Li et al., 2022). Regarding question 7, respondents concurred that environmental protection took precedence over economic development. This result was analogous to that of Li and Nitanan (2022), who discovered that most respondents preferred to halt economic development and preserve the environment.
A positive coefficient for the income variable indicated that the higher the respondents’ income, the more willing they were to pay an entrance fee to East Lake, as determined by the findings regarding the factors influencing the willingness to pay. The result was consistent with the findings of Kong et al. (2014), who discovered that income positively correlated with the propensity to pay an entrance fee. Next, it was determined that the coefficient significant for both education and age was negative. Consequently, those with lesser levels of education were more inclined to pay an entry charge than those with higher levels of education. Likewise, Li and Nitanan (2022) discovered a negative and statistically significant coefficient for education level. A negative coefficient for the age variable indicates that as individuals age, they become less inclined. Similarly, Li and Nitanan (2022) have a negative age coefficient.
Lastly, for the estimation of willingness to pay value for East Lake, the entrance fee of 8 yuan (approximately equal to 1.1 USD) per person per visit was significantly lower than the recommended entrance fee of 50 yuan (equal to 7.54 USD) at Dalai Lake, China (Wang and Jia, 2012). However, this could be due to the impacts of COVID-19 that struck the world from 2020 till the present, which jolted the global economy, resulting in an economic crisis.
Overall, the research findings are essential to the management of East Lake. By grasping the value of willingness to pay, East Lake can develop more reasonable policies regarding entrance fees, for instance. Also, with the money from the entrance fee, East Lake can reduce the burden of adding and maintaining scenic area facilities and environmental quality in East Lake, in turn enhancing the visitor experience to East Lake. This will promote the sustainable development of East Lake and provide a more solid foundation for future management and maintenance.

5 Conclusions

Using multiple regression and CVM, this research determined the willingness to pay an entrance fee to the East Lake Scenic Area in China and its payment level. The majority of respondents were willing to pay the entrance fee, with an average willingness to pay of 14 yuan (approximately equal to 2 USD) per person per visit. The results indicated that income, age, and level of education were substantially related to respondents’s willingness to pay, with income being positively correlated. The findings of the research may strengthen East Lake’s future evaluation. Suggestions for management include continually improving water quality, providing more public seating, and enhancing solid waste management. In addition, according to the results of satisfaction and attitude, the most significant indicator is the availability of fresh air. Although air quality is improving annually, maintaining air quality is also a top priority so that visitors can benefit from a better environment and enjoy enhanced visual and recreational opportunities.
This research has several limitations. Due to time constraints, additional professionals were unable to review the questionnaire; therefore, it may be influenced by personal preference, experience, and prior knowledge. In addition, the data collection period was limited to two weeks, without accounting for data collection during peak and off-peak periods. Regarding the WTP value survey results, East Lake can consider implementing an entrance fee; the average WTP value is 8, which can increase revenue. Additionally, East Lake should enhance the facilities of the scenic area and offer guide services. Based on the survey results, East Lake can increase the number of roadside benches and garbage cans. In light of the substantial number of visitors, it is imperative that the trash cans be expeditiously emptied. Additionally, the management of facilities and roadside environments, such as restrooms, must be optimised. The enhancement of water quality and the suppression of noise disturbances should be prioritised in terms of the environment too enhance the East Lake’s attractiveness to tourists.

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