Economic Valuation of Jatimalang Beach in Purworejo Regency (Travel Cost and Willingness to Pay Approach)

Purworejo Regency has a tourist attraction that is Jatimalang Beach which has ecotourism activities. The activity has been used as a tourism support by utilizing the existing local potential. There are also many tourism advantages found in Jatimalang Beach that have not been utilized optimally. For this reason, it is necessary to develop research with a travel cost approach and a willingness to pay approach.The purpose of this study are: 1) to analyze the influence of travel costs to Jatimalang Beach attractions, age, travel distance, individual income, and perceptions of tourist facilities and infrastructure on the number of tourist visits.2) to analyze the WTP / Willingness To Pay of visitors to the Jatimalang Beach attraction. The method of this research is by multiple regression. The results of this research indicate that:1) travel costs (X1), age (X2), distance of travel (X3), individual income (X4), and perception of tourism facilities and infrastructure (X5), by together affect on the number of tourist visits. The travel cost to the Jatimalang Beach attraction (X1) has a negative and significant effect on the number of tourist visits. Age (X2), travel distance (X3) did not significantly influence the number of tourist visits. And individual income (X4), perception of tourism facilities and infrastructure (X5) has a positive and significant effect on the number of tourist visits. 2) The average value of WTP is Rp. 13,000.00 per person or respondent. The total value of the WTP for the development of Jatimalang Beach in Purworejo Regency is Rp 1,885,390,000.00 per year. Efforts that can be made by tourism managers are that they need to attention to various factors related to the cost of travel to attractions, individual income and tourist perceptions of tourism facilities and infrastructure by applying appropriate admission prices to Jatimalang Beach attractions. It is expected that the value of WTP can provide value benefits from the environment of the tourist area, so that users are more optimal. As it continues to strive to maintain and improve the facilities and infrastructure of Jatimalang Beach tourism objects, both in quality and quantity in accordance with the needs, desires and expectations of tourists. In addition, the management also needs to work together with the Regional Government of Purworejo Regency to build access roads and provide transportation facilities that can provide facilities for tourists to travel to the Jatimalang Coast attractions