ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the relationship between sustainability and surfing. It establishes sustainability as a response to risk with a focus on the relationship between a risk society and sustainable development. The book focuses on surfers and wave, history, tourism, economics, sport management and sociology. Using a combination of popular surf culture, academic literature and social theory, the book discusses the contemporary social and cultural meaning of surfing. It explains the inclusion of surf activism and non-traditional economic accounting in the policy domain. The book also focuses on four technological dimensions impacting surf tourism, including the physical, climatology, Internet communication technologies and artificial surfing. It highlights issues such as the dependence on petroleum products, harmful chemicals and poor waste management practices and the non-market value of surfing and its policy implications through the Hedonic Price Method.
