To assist destinations or tour operators interested in creating a surfing adventure itinerary, this product development brief contains basic information for evaluating conditions for surfing and starting points for marketing surf-focused trips to western travelers.

Adventure travelers seek a variety of activities, including sport, culture and nature experiences. For a surf-focused itinerary, participants will expect a balance between intense physical activity, cultural experiences as well as the ability to relax in pristine natural settings. A traditional trip would begin surfing early in the morning before the wind picks up, with a break for food and rest; continue surfing in the afternoon and early evening.

Travel between breaks can be via boat, vehicle or on foot.

The following guidelines will support adventure surf trip product developers.

Surfing is tide, wind and swell dependant; if any factor is off the experience can be negatively affected. Good trips with many wave options account for varied conditions.

Depending on surfer physical fitness and conditions, surf sessions can easily last 2 - 4 hours, repeated throughout the daylight hours (including dawn and dusk).

Areas heavily crowded by surfers (typically more than 30-40 surfers in the water at one time) will greatly detract from the activity and need to be avoided whenever possible. Surf destination should be designed to take travelers into remote areas of low tourism or to long waves with a high capacity of surfers.

Wave size and weather conditions must be considered and equipment adjusted accordingly. For waves over 2 meters (6ft) slightly larger boards are needed. For small waves, funboards or longboards are typically most apt.

Warm water offers ability to stay in the water for prolonged periods of times. A thick (more restrictive) wetsuit is required for cold water breaks.

Water access should be free from obstructions, i.e. trees, rocks, buildings

Water suitable for swimming should not contain objects such as rocks, shells, and sticks, which are potential dangers for both the surfer and the equipment.

Various levels of accommodation should be identified for each stop in order to cater to multiple demographics, from tented camps to high end hotels.

Think your destination has the potential to offer great surf trips? Fill out this simple set of questions and we'll tell you whether you've got a adventure travel wave destination:

Rate your destination a 1 if you're close to 5-star lodging, a 5 with great campsites

How consistent is the wave - does it break every day, once a month? Rate a 1 for every day, a 5 for unpredictability

Is there a surf school near the beach? Rate 1 for yes, 5 for no

Is there a place to rent boards and gear? Rate 1 for yes, 5 for no

Add up your score: with a 4, you may have a winner; with a 20 we may have some work to do!

The ability to surf great waves with few people has strong appeal, especially for people who come from crowded home breaks.

The ability to surf with local guides is also attractive as they tend to know where it’s best to surf whatever the weather conditions.

To build international awareness for your destination once you have a product ready to sell, invite reporters or pitch stories on your destination to kiteboarding, windsurfing, and surfing magazines. Advertising online on websites dedicated to selling kiteboarding and surfing gear is also recommended.

Good publications and online media that can be used to reach surfers include:

Surfing Magazine
Surfer’s Path
www.wannasurf.com
Canoe and Kayak
Surfer Magazine

The average age of the readers for most of these publications is under 30 years old, with median incomes around $70,000 per year. More than 90% of the readers plan on taking a surfing holiday in the next year.

Destinations or tour operators with new itineraries should recognize the youth of this market and try to provide a range of accommodation options – whereas surfers in their 40s and 50s will be looking for more up-market accommodation, the younger surfers are likely to be satisfied with fewer luxuries. Destinations that cannot provide upmarket accommodation at the current time should focus on the younger travelers and emphasize the value of the waves and the surfing, these people will travel far for a great experience and are very amenable to rugged conditions.

The major multi-destination companies offering surf trips are Wavehunters and Quiksilver travel. For new entrants, partnering with these companies to sell trips may be recommended.