Economic Valuation Of National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha"(Belarus) Using Travel Cost Method

National parks and protected areas are the base for global conservation initiatives. They provide a range of benefits for the society in the form of consumptive and non-consumptive uses. However, it is quite difficult to calculate economic benefits associated with national parks and protected areas in monetary terms as they are not subject to economic valuation by the price mechanism used for normal goods. So, it is necessary to use non-market valuation techniques in order to estimate monetary values of natural resources. These values can provide information needed for the parks management taking decisions and ensuring the implementation of effective conservation policy.This research applied travel cost method (TCM) to calculate consumer surplus of the visitors of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", one of the biggest and richest in natural resources in the Republic of Belarus. This park posses a high visitation level and is well regarded for its unique values. For the implementation of the method, the on-site questionnaire survey of the visitors was conducted aiming to collect information on visitors to the park, their socio-demographical characteristics and expenses during the visit, and their perception of the park and services provided.Based on questionnaires analyzed, results of regression analysis used to describe the relationship between travel costs and number of visits, and other calculations conclusions were made and several recommendations provided. They can be used to guide future park development, inform resource allocation decisions and ensure adequate conservation financing. The results achieved can be used for further research.