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I have frequently explained how the same recreation industry lobbyists who brought us forest recreation fees, are aggressively pushing to take the fee concept to the next higher level. "Congestion Pricing" , "Value Pricing" and "Differential Pricing" are the terms most commonly used to describe the refinement in pricing being sought. Each of these concepts represents a classist, anti-democratic, method of allocating access based upon willingness to pay.
Let me give an example. Congestion Pricing is usually associated with the concept of converting public freeways into private tolls roads then adjusting the price charged for use of the roads hour by hour. Whenever the road becomes congested, such as during the rush hour commute, the price charged for using the road would be increased. The concept is that when higher fees are charged, people of limited financial means will avoid the road and commute times will thus be reduced for those willing or able to pay the higher fee.
Differential Pricing is the American Recreation Coalition's preferred fee mechanism for our National Parks. Like Congestion Pricing, this mechanism calls for varying the cost of visiting a National Park or forest based upon changing demand. Popular parks would be priced higher in order to drive lower income persons toward lower cost options. Likewise, when because of some special event or seasonal occurrence (such as wildflowers being in bloom) the desirability of visiting a park increases, higher fees would be charged. Increased fees would not only better capture the higher value, these increased fees would eliminate crowding and thus further increase the value of the experience for those capable of paying top dollar. Those of wealth would, in effect, get to pay a premium in order not to have to share the experience.
Pasted below is an article from today's press describing how entrance fees at Chinese tourist sites are being increased in preparation of the coming holiday season. The article explains how "The price hike is a major source of income for tourism companies" and goes on to describe how differential pricing is being applied using these words:
Tourism sites usually raise entrance fees during peak periods, said Guo Weihua, an official with the travel service. Basic entrance fees for the Forbidden City will jump 50 percent, from 40 yuan to 60 yuan (8 U.S. dollars) while a basic ticket to get into the Summer Palace will go from 20 yuan to 30 yuan for the coming holiday.
Many other lesser-famed sites scattering across the country have pledged not to increase entrance fees hoping lower prices will attract more visitors.
If that's how things are done in Communist China, imagine what we can look forward to as the American Recreation Coalition and Free-Market ideologues take control of our parks and recreation lands.
Scott
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Entrance fees up as holiday season approaches
BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Entrance fees have gone up significantly
at some Chinese tourist sites in advance of the week-long Labor's Day
holiday.
The admission fees of well-known tourism sites such as Dunhuang, Mount
Tai, Mount Lu and Jiuzhaigou are up 20 to 30 percent. Other sites have
jacked their prices by 50 percent, say sources with the China Travel
Service.
Tourism sites usually raise entrance fees during peak periods, said Guo
Weihua, an official with the travel service. Basic entrance fees for
the Forbidden City will jump 50 percent, from 40 yuan to 60 yuan (8
U.S. dollars) while a basic ticket to get into the Summer Palace will
go from 20 yuan to 30 yuan for the coming holiday.
Many other lesser-famed sites scattering across the country have
pledged not to increase entrance fees hoping lower prices will attract
more visitors.
The price hike is a major source of income for tourism companies, said Guo.
China has seen a boom in tourism in recent years. The country's tourism
industry is expected to bring record revenues of a trillion yuan, up
ten percent from 2006, according to the National Tourism Administration.
Some 129 million inbound visitors from overseas are expected to visit China in 2007, five million more than that last year.
Domestic tourists are projected to take 1.5 billion trips within the country, up eight percent against last year.
The Chinese government has been encouraging its citizens to travel more to stimulate domestic consumption.
China earned 33.5 billion U.S. dollars from tourism last year, making
the country the sixth highest tourism revenue earner in the world.
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- Land management 
