Surf camp experiences

Abstract

Surf camps are located in popular surf spots and provide surf classes, guided surf tours and various services such as accommodation and food. This study’s main objective was to identify the principal components of surfers’ overall experiences in surf camps based on the narratives shared online in social media platforms. The research focused on camps in Portugal, using quantitative (i.e. computer-based) and qualitative (i.e. narrative) content analysis methods to process Web reviews written by surf camp visitors with different nationalities. The results reveal 10 themes in descriptions of stays at surf camps: ‘surf’, ‘instructors’, ‘place’, ‘camp’, ‘beach’, ‘staff’, ‘experience’, ‘wave’,’ home’ and ‘team’. These represent the overall surf camp experiences connected to surf lessons, natural resources of surf spots, human resources in surf camps and recommendations after experiences. This study contributes to the literature on surf tourism by addressing the need for more literature on surf camps, especially those in Portugal.