How Has the COVID‐19 Pandemic Affected Outdoor Recreation in the U.S.? A Revealed Preference Approach

This study examines the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on outdoor recreation trips and values using revealed preference data in the context of travel cost method. Demand models are estimated using data on pre‐ and postpandemic trips reported in a nationwide survey of recreation participants. The models incorporate related subjective risk perceptions as postpandemic measures of site quality and account for household‐level factors, pre‐existing conditions, and risk tolerance. Our results suggest that the pandemic had negative effects on recreation visits and values, with risk‐tolerant households and households with pre‐existing conditions taking more trips.