@article{Alberini:92712,
      recid = {92712},
      author = {Alberini, Anna and Rheinberger, Christoph M. and Leiter,  Andrea M. and McCormick, Charles A. and Mizrahi, Andrew},
      title = {What is the Value of Hazardous Weather Forecasts? Evidence  from a Survey of Backcountry Skiers},
      address = {2010-07},
      number = {838-2016-55756},
      series = {SD},
      pages = {44},
      year = {2010},
      abstract = {What is the value of hazardous weather warnings? To answer  this question, we focus on the avalanche bulletin for  Switzerland issued by the WSL Institute for Snow and  Avalanche Research (SLF). We take a survey-based,  non-market valuation approach to estimating the value of  hypothetical improvements in avalanche forecasting. We  focus on backcountry skiers because (i) safety is arguably  the most important type of benefit associated with the  avalanche bulletin, (ii) they voluntarily undertake risks,  and (iii) they perceive themselves and are generally  perceived by others as skilled in avoiding risks. The  respondents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the improved  services ranges between CHF 42 to 46, implying a mean value  of statistical life (VSL) of CHF 1.75 million. We find that  WTP increases with income and is higher among Swiss  nationals and those who rate the current bulletin “useful.”  Risk-tolerant individuals, persons who assessed their  personal risk as lower than average, professional guides,  and those who perceive themselves as proficient in using  the existing bulletin report lower WTP figures. This  suggests that the monetized value that people place on the  enhanced bulletin reflects how productive these individuals  are (or think they are) in using information to avoid  avalanche risks.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/92712},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.92712},
}