Tourist preferences for cleaner mobility: A contingent valuation of electric rickshaws in Guatemala

Tourists can support the transition to cleaner transportation by paying higher prices for electric mobility as higher profits may incentivize transport service providers to adopt cleaner vehicles. Using the contingent valuation method, this study investigates whether tourists are willing to pay for electric rickshaw transport services in Panajachel, a renowned tourist destination in Guatemala where rickshaws are the main mode of transportation. Estimating logit models, we found that tourists’ willingness to pay is positively related to income, environmental preferences, and the respondent’s belief that our study will have policy implications (i.e. perceived consequentiality), as well as negatively related to the length of the trip. Our estimates indicate that the median tourist is willing to pay a substantial price increase, i.e. at least 83% of the current price. Our findings provide useful insights to design pricing mechanisms and complementary policies aimed at promoting the adoption of cleaner vehicles in tourist destinations.