Surfing as adventure travel: Motivations and lifestyles

Abstract

This was an undergraduate research project by Mr. Reynolds completed his senior year. He would like to thank the reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions.This article is available in Journal of Tourism Insights: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/jti/vol3/iss1/2 Surfing as adventure travel: Motivations and lifestyles AbstractThe purpose of this study was to create a profile of the adventure traveler's lifestyles, values and travel motivations. An understanding of the lifestyle and attitudes of today's adventure traveler can aid tourism marketers in designing messages tailored to this unique target market. Differences and similarities between genders and the age cohorts of Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers were examined. Across the sample most participated in a "traditional" type of sport before migrating to an adventure activity and they also engaged in more than one type of adventure activity.Across the sample, the participants traveled in order to meet or maintain current relationships. While participating in their adventure sport, females reinforced the desire to be with others while males wanted to gain self-confidence. The participants overall also viewed themselves as conservative in their lifestyles and values. They spend money carefully and do not feel the desire to rebel against things in general. Future research and implications for the resort and commercial recreation industry is presented.

Expected Distribution of Surfing Days in the Iberian Peninsula

“…The variables analyzed in this study were significant wave height Hm0, maximum wave height Hmax, peak wave period Tp and average swell direction Dmd. To identify the specific characteristics needed for surfing in the specific surf spots, we make complementary use of information obtained from the Glassy app 3 . This app is made for surfers use and it contains more than 18,000 surf spots around the world.…”

“…Surf spots are the specific nearshore locations where surfing occurs and which surfers use regularly and loyally and about which surfers often develop expert local knowledge [2]. Surfing tourism has increased in popularity as a form of active sport tourism, with surfers bringing economic benefits to a destination [3].…”

Women at a Music Festival: Biological Sex Defining Motivation and Behavioral Intentions

“…Tourism studies assumed in the past that motivation and behavior are not contingent on biological sex; in other words, female and male motivations and behavior are the same (Jönsson & Devonish, 2008;Plangmarn, Mujtaba, & Pirani, 2012). Recently, however, some empirical studies have questioned this assumption with their findings (Jensen, 2011;Reynolds & Hritz, 2012). Consequently, marketing assumptions embedded in the male view of what is appealing about a destination may not hold for the female market.…”

An Estimation of the Economic Impact of Surfing in the United Kingdom

“…This international work has often identified positive impacts and benefit to local economies (e.g., Barbieri & Sotomayor, 2012;Buckley, 2002a;Frank, Zhou, Bezerra, & Crowley, 2009;Ponting, 2008;Tantamjarik, 2004) and on the industrialization of surf tourism (Buckley, 2002a(Buckley, , 2002bOrams, 1999;Ormrod, 2005;Poizat-Newcomb, 1999;Ponting, 2008;Reynolds & Hritz, 2012;Ryan, 2007). Barbieri and Sotomayor's (2012) work, for example, focused on specialist surf tourism identifying surfing as a "serious leisure activity" by using Stebbins'(1982) scale, highlighting that it is more than an occasional hobby or distraction and forms an integral part of the individual's life.…”