The tourism industry has significant repercussions in regards to economic value to destinations worldwide but is susceptible to external shocks such as terrorism as tourist numbers follow terroristic activity causing economic damage to destinations beyond managerial control. Surf tourism is of growing economic, social and environmental value to destinations in Indonesia due to the region’s abundance of high quality waves and resulting attractiveness to surfers however, it is a region frequented by terrorist activity. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of terrorism on commercial surf tourism as a sub segment of the global tourism industry.
Data was obtained using a survey consisting of 5 closed ended questions assessing IAO variables of traveling surfers regarding the perception of terrorism as a risk influencing destination choice and travel plans. 42 usable responses were collected over a three-month period from January 7th to March 28th 2016. Results of the statistical analysis suggest that surfers demonstrate a different behaviour in comparison to other tourists and have a low perception of terrorism as a risk influencing destination choice.
In fact, from the data and statistical analysis it appears that the significant reliance on the quality of waves at a destination outweighs the risk of terrorism as an influence on destination choice, therefore accepting the tested hypothesis, which stated that surf tourists do not perceive terrorism as a high risk influencing destination choice or travel plans. Suggestions for future research include a replication of this study using a larger sample size and changes to the design of the questionnaire in order to improve upon limitations and further investigate conspicuous findings of this study as well as potential links to the field of behavioural psychology.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
6. Limitations and Future Research
References
Acknowledgements
Appendices
Appendix 1: Blank Questionnaire
Appendix 2: Ethical Review
Appendix 3: Risk Assessment
Research Objectives and Topics
This project investigates the impact of terrorism on commercial surf tourism, exploring whether surf tourists prioritize high-quality wave conditions over safety concerns when selecting travel destinations in the face of perceived terrorist threats.
- The economic and social significance of surf tourism within the broader global tourism industry.
- The relationship between terrorism, media influence, and destination risk perception.
- Psychographic characteristics and travel behaviors of contemporary surf tourists.
- Statistical analysis of survey data assessing the influence of terrorism on destination choice.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
The increase in participation numbers in the niche sport of surfing presents a growing socioeconomic value of the sport to global economies. To the United States alone it is estimated to contribute an annual economic impact ranging from $2 billion to $5 billion (Wagner et al. 2011; Canniford, 2005; Lazarow, 2007; O’Brien et al. 2013). The constant worldwide increase in surfing popularity in combination with easily accessible travel opportunities and the sport’s nature of interaction with and reach into new coastal environments has resulted in a rapid increase in commercial surf tourism (O’Brien et al. 2013; Lazarow, 2007; Fluker, 2003; Buckley, 2002a; Buckley, 2002b; Dolnicar et al. 2003a; Dolnicar et al. 2003b).
Surf tourism has an estimated economic value amounting to $250 million without taking into account economies of the most popular surfing destinations in developing countries in Southeast Asia (Barbieri et al. 2013), and is of sufficient economic, social and environmental implications to draw academic attention. The very recent and growing body of literature focuses on destinations in Indonesia such as Bali, Sri Lanka, the Mentawai Islands and other Indo-Pacific Islands as the highest-volume destinations for surf tourism, assessing demographics and travel behaviour of the surfing population as well as the resulting implications for these destinations.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the growth of the global surf tourism industry and introduces the research problem regarding its susceptibility to external shocks like terrorism.
2. Methodology: Details the use of a survey consisting of five closed-ended questions to assess the psychographic variables of surf tourists and their risk perception.
3. Results: Presents the statistical findings from the survey data, highlighting the preference for wave quality over safety concerns among the target group.
4. Discussion: Analyzes the study's results in the context of existing literature, discussing the absence of an anchoring bias effect and the prioritization of wave quality.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the study's findings, confirming that surf tourists do not perceive terrorism as a high-risk factor that significantly influences their travel decisions.
6. Limitations and Future Research: Discusses constraints such as sample size and suggests future research directions, including larger studies and psychological approaches to thrill-seeking behavior.
Keywords
Surf tourism, Terrorism, Risk perception, Destination choice, Travel behavior, Indonesia, Bali, Tourism industry, Psychographics, Globalisation, Anchoring bias, Sport tourism, Wave quality, Economic impact, Quantitative research.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The study examines the susceptibility of the commercial surf tourism sector to the impact of terrorism and whether surf tourists alter their travel plans due to perceived terrorist risks.
What are the primary themes addressed?
Key themes include the economic importance of surf tourism, the intersection of tourism and terrorism, media influence on risk perception, and surf-specific travel behaviors.
What is the main objective of the study?
The primary goal is to determine if the high value surf tourists place on wave quality outweighs their concerns regarding terrorism when selecting holiday destinations.
Which research methodology was utilized?
The researcher employed a quantitative approach using a computer-typed survey with five closed-ended questions, targeting competitive and recreational surfers to collect data on their preferences and risk perceptions.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main sections provide a comprehensive review of the relationship between tourism and terrorism, detailed statistical analysis of the survey responses, and a discussion on the behavior of surf tourists.
How would you describe this research in a few keywords?
Key identifiers include: surf tourism, terrorism, risk perception, destination choice, travel behavior, and psychographics.
Did the recent terrorist events impact the survey findings?
Despite recent global events during the study period, the data suggests that most surf tourists did not exhibit an anchoring bias that would discourage them from visiting potentially affected destinations.
What is the significance of the "quality of waves" criterion?
The study found that the quality of waves is the pivotal criterion for the majority of surfers, effectively minimizing the perceived risk of terrorism in their decision-making process.
- Citation du texte
- Esteban Hack (Auteur), 2016, Susceptibilities of the Tourism Industry. The Effect of Terrorism on commercial Surf Tourism, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/444549
