Integrating GIS into choice experiments: An evaluation of land use scenarios in Whistler, B.C.

GIs and choice experiments were integrated to implement a spatial survey and create a GIs-based decision support tool. The discrete choice survey investigated preferences of visitors to Whistler, British Columbia, for alternative land use scenarios at mountain resort. The hypothetical choice sets, developed in GIs, illustrated different amounts and arrangements of development, protected areas, and recreational opportunities. Visitors preferred resorts with greater amounts of protected areas, especially when protected areas were buffered from development and situated to protect the most ecologically valuable areas. In addition, visitors preferred to limit the amount of development at nodes external to the resort core and tolerated a high percentage of the workforce living in the resort. Finally, visitors preferred only two golf courses, but were indifferent towards the extent of the trail system. A GIs-based decision support tool created using the survey results demonstrates an effective way to communicate the findings.