Riding the Wave: History, Definitions, and a Proposed Typology of Surf-riding Tourism

Abstract

Surfing has evolved from a fringe counterculture recreational activity to a multibillion dollar global industry with a diverse range of equipment and millions of participants. The growth and influence of surfing, in its myriad of forms, has not been widely researched and is scarcely reported in the academic literature. This article reviews the history and development of surfing, offers definitions of surf-riding and surf-riding tourism, and proposes a typology that classifies surf-riding on the basis of four categories. Hard-core surf-riders are dedicated, focused, and have high levels of ability and commitment. recreational surf-riders range from competent to expert in ability, but they seek the "stoke" of surfing through participation, surfing a wide range of wave types and surfing as well as they can. Casual surf-riders are novices who engage in surf-riding or attempting to ride waves as part of a wider beach and water recreational experience. "kooks" are surf-riders characterized by a mismatch between their ability and the conditions they venture out into. Each of these types of surf-riders represents a different sector of the surf-riding tourism market. The surf-riding typology proposed in this article can be used as a basis for understanding the activities more clearly and as a framework for future research.

Surf-riding tourism in coastal fishing communities: A comparative case study of two projects from the Philippines

“…The surfing lifestyle was identified as an important driver in the motivations of both KIs. While surfing an "un-surfed" break is one of the greatest accomplishments (Brown, 1966), the associated exclusivity is also a benefit to tourism (Buckley, 2002a;Orams and Towner, 2013).…”

“…Although, community perceptions regarding the development projects are outside the scope of this paper, the in-situ observations at KI-B's project site revealed positive social interactions between local residents and surf-riders and other visitors. For both casual and recreational surfriders, surfing is a social experience (Buckley, 2002a, b) with its own set of social norms for behaviour and conduct in the water (Orams and Towner, 2013). While such "understood" rules of conduct do not guarantee culturally appropriate behaviour they may serve to foster positive social interactions.…”

“…Surf-riding tourism has been slow to gain recognition in the academic literature (e.g., Buckley, 2002aBuckley, , 2002bPonting et al, 2005); however, there has been a recent surge of attention (e.g., Martin & Assenov, 2012, 2014Orams and Towner, 2013;Ponting and McDonald, 2013;Ponting & O'Brien, 2014;Shuman and Hodgeson, 2009;Usher and Kerstetter, 2014). Buckley (2002aBuckley ( & 2002b offered an early description of the economic, environmental and social effects of surf-riding tourism development on IndoPacific island communities.…”

“…This minimalism (in terms of expected infrastructure and services typically found in tourism destinations) associated with surf-riders can be viewed as beneficial to development projects seeking to involve artisanal fisherfolk where service skills, as well as tourism infrastructure and services, may be limited. Additionally, the self-interest of surfers seeks to limit tourism growth as surf-riders prioritise uncrowded surf breaks (Buckley, 2002a,b;Orams and Towner, 2013;Ponting, 2014;Towner, 2013). The two models proposed in this paper have diverse functional characteristics; however, both reveal commonalities that may increase the potential transferability of the models to other settings.…”

“…The work of Orams and Towner (2013) emphasises the diversity of the surf-riding industry offering descriptive definitions of relevant activities, while Martin and Assenov (2014) suggest a conservation matrix for surf-riding resources based on environmental, economic, and governance indicators. Drivers for surf-riding tourism (production and consumption) have also been explored in the research (Ponting and McDonald, 2013).…”