surf tourism Archives - Steven A. Martin

A Systematic Review of Surf Tourism Research in International Journals (2011-2020)

Abstract

Previous research outlined the genesis of a new body of surf tourism research based on a wide array of grey and published literature (Martin & Assenov, 2012). The aim of this paper is to further investigate the development of the field through an evidence-based informetric analysis of international journal articles listed in Web of Science or Scopus databases. Employing a systematic review of journal papers published from 2011 to 2020, the study addresses the previous grey literature problem of accessibility and eligibility criteria for citation. Findings are drawn from explicit and tangential studies which capture an up-to-date overview of the evolution of surf tourism research. The study identifies active journals, authors, field locations, and leading areas of research, suggesting that the field has entered a period of ‘academic professionalization’. A bibliography of 96 journal articles presents academics and readers with a corpus of accessible research.

Surfing Experience & Lifestyle

Surfers live with the ocean, rising and falling with its waves. Their naturally photogenic lives are enriched not only by the healthy exercise of life at the beach, but also by the intercultural experiences that come with traveling around the world to find the best breaks.

In my early twenties, while working as an assistant chef, I began to look for ways to bring the surfing lifestyle into my work. Surfing was my favorite activity; that was what I did before and after work, and on my days off.

So I asked myself: Could I find work at the beach, or in the surf, and get paid for being in my chosen element?

Sadly, I was not good enough at surfing to be a professional surfer, but I had developed a personal philosophy of doing what I love, and loving what I do – and surfing was clearly what I loved to do.

I asked around at the five-star hotel where I’d been working, and sure enough, I was able to transfer to a new position at the same hotel, working with the beach and pool department as a lifeguard. From that day forward, my life changed.

I was getting paid to train as a lifeguard and swim on the beach every day, and encouraged to have fun surfing on my breaks.

Do what you love, and love what you do. Great advice!

After working on the beach and making ocean rescues for about three years, I applied for a full-time job as a Hawaii County Lifeguard. In 1992, I was offered an opportunity to attend lifeguard training at Huntington Beach, California, and soon become a certified California State Lifeguard, stationed at San Clemente, Orange Coast District.

Once I started college in 1994 and learned that I could study abroad in wave-rich countries like South Africa, Spain, and Taiwan, the idea of combining work, study and other life pursuits with surfing opened up a world of possibilities.

In 1998, after good day of surfing in Tel-Aviv, Israel, I made the decision to return home to Hawaii and start a surfing school. Based on my experience in lifeguarding, I named the school "Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors" (HLSI), and set up shop at a beach house near Kahaluu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona (see photos below).

After his first wave, Scott exclaimed, "Surfing is out of this world!"

One thing led to another and over the next year I found myself imagining the entire shuttle crew to coming to the Big Island of Hawaii to surf and appear at local schools.

The next year Scott and fellow astronaut Pat Forrester came to Hawaii, officially representing the NASA Space Program, and appearing at schools across the island and catching a few waves.

I wrote a short article named, "The Space Ambassadors" to share the experience in the Kona Views Magazine.

NASA Astronaut Hawaii Appearances 2001 Press Release | West Hawaii

When it was time to start Graduate school and do my PhD, once again I found that surfing was my ticket to combining work, education and lifestyle. I wrote my MBA thesis on surf tourism in Thailand.

The more I traveled, surfed, and learned about the environmental issues at surf sites and other coastal areas, the more I was moved to study the social, economic and environmental significance of surfing.

After my MBA, I chose to do a Ph.D. in Environmental Management, dedicating three years of my life to researching surf site sustainability and developing the Surf Resource Sustainability Index (SRSI).

Currently, I am still surfing and sharing the surfing stoke with my students in Environmental Studies at Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand.

2012 | The genesis of a new body of sport tourism literature: A systematic review of surf tourism research (1997-2011). Journal of Sport and Tourism
2014 | Developing a surf resource sustainability index as a global model for surf beach conservation and tourism research. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research
2014 | Investigating the importance of surf resource sustainability indicators: Stakeholder perspectives for surf tourism planning and development. Tourism Planning and Development
2015 | Measuring the conservation aptitude of surf beaches in Phuket, Thailand: An application of the surf resource sustainability index. International Journal of Tourism Research
2017 | Part 2: A systems approach – Chapter 2. Surf resource system boundaries. Sustainable Surfing
2019 | A social science index and conceptual framework for assigning weights in surf tourism planning and development. Tourism Planning and Development
2022 | From shades of grey to Web of Science: A systematic review of surf tourism research in international journals (2011-2020). Journal of Sport & Tourism

Lifeguarding & Ocean Safety

The sport of surfing has inherent risks, and practical experience and an understanding of ocean safety go hand and hand. It is common for surfers seek advanced water safety or lifeguard training, especially if they are thinking of working at the beach. My case was no exception, and now I reflect on forty years of ocean experience in twenty-five countries, including five years' service as a Hawaii County Water Safety Officer, and seasonal service as a California State Park Lifeguard. Although lifeguarding was not my only career, it has been a continuous theme in personal and professional life.

In 1987, I was introduced to instructor programs with American Red Cross through a Hawaiian friend at the beach, and this was when I first became a teacher. I continued teaching these courses until 1997. Mainly I taught courses in Advanced Lifesaving, Lifeguarding, First-aid, and CPR.

Hapuna State Beach has a long history of drowning and near-drowning incidents. During the 1970s and 80s, while Hawaii County provided lifeguard services at County beach parks, State beach parks were left unguarded.

Hapuna State Beach was particularly dangerous due to the deep water and north-west exposure, making the beach wide open to large and powerful north-west ocean swells during the winter months.

In 1990, the State opened a contract for private lifeguarding organizations to provide water safety services at Hapuna for the first time. Honolulu-based Lifeguards Hawaii State, owned and operated by John Quincy Adams (aka, JQA), took charge of the lifeguard program for first three years.

Following the precedent set in January 1992, when the City and County of Honolulu was elected to place lifeguards at the notoriously dangerous Keawaula Beach on Oahu, an agreement was soon reached on the Big Island between Hawaii County and the State of Hawaii, leading to County lifeguards being stationed at Hapuna State Beach.

I was fortunate enough to be active during this formative period in the Big Island's water safety programs, having worked for the County, as well as Lifeguards Hawaii State.

Just prior to County guards being officially stationed at Hapuna, I was accepted to the California State Park Lifeguard Training Program at Huntington Beach. Luckily, I survived the rigorous training and testing period at Huntington and got hired as a California State Park Lifeguard in San Clemente, Orange Coast District – a great place to be a surfer-lifeguard!

San Clemente was home to the surf beaks known collectively as "Trestles" at San Onofre State Beach, and being from out of state, I was allowed to camp and use the facilities at Trestles Headquarters (THQ) overlooking the breaks during the summer of 1992.

After moving to the resort island of Phuket, Thailand, in 2007, to study for my MBA in Hospitality and Tourism Management, I became interested in ocean safety at local beaches.

During my first week on the island, I made several surf-related rescues at unguarded beaches. That year, during the Southwest Monsoon (May to October), I rescued five tourists in the surf, and decided to conduct water safety research on the island. My study found that surfers were unintentionally acting as surrogate lifeguards at Phuket beaches, assisting tourists and the general public who got into trouble in the surf.

I wrote several articles for a local magazine on related subjects, created the Phuket Ocean Safety Guide, and in April of 2010, the research made the front page of the Phuket Gazette. I also discussed this issue in my Master's (MBA) thesis, "Coastal resource assessment for surf tourism in Thailand," and on local radio.

1991-2019 Lifeguards Hawaii State

Water Safety Consultant

1998-2003 Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors (HLSI)

Surfing and Ocean Safety Instructor

1987-1997 American Red Cross, Hawaii Island Chapter

Instructor in Lifeguarding, Swimming, First Aid and CPR
Water Safety Instructor (WSI)

1991-1992 California State Park Lifeguard

State Lifeguard – California Department of Parks and Recreation

1985-1991 County of Hawaii

Water Safety Officer (WSO II)

1992-1993 Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scout Merit Badge Instructor in First Aid and CPR

1988-1990 Ocean Sports Waikoloa

First Aid and CPR Instructor

1987-1997 Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Instructor

Swimming, Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor
First Aid and CPR Instructor

1988-1992 Parker High School, Hawaii

Swimming Coach, Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor
First Aid and CPR Instructor

South America

University News | Dr Steven Andrew Martin Promoted to Assistant Professor of Asian Studies in Sociology and Anthropology

Asst Prof Dr Steven A Martin offers the Faculty of International Studies’ 1st FIS Research Seminar at Prince of Songkla University

News

Steven’s outstanding achievements following his scholarship in the Taiwan Studies program at National Chengchi University, Taiwan

Steven’s experiences studying at National Chengchi University, Taiwan inspired him to become a lifelong learner and teacher. He has documented his personal journey in the form of a series of journals, videos, and Website instruction for his students. This has now grown to include a wide range of content: Steven Andrew Martin / International Education Online

Steven has dedicated several Web pages to his scholarship in Taiwan, including unique ethnographic fieldwork with the Bunun, fortunately being present at just the right time to document a traditional ethnic Taiwanese lifestyle and culture:

Plymouth Sustainability and Surfing Research Group (PSSRG)

In 2013, Steven was invited by the Gold Coast City Council, Australia, to present a new research methodology – the Surf Resource Sustainability Index (SRSI). Speaking at the Global Surf Cities Conference at the Kirra Hill Community and Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland, Steven brought to light the topic of coastal resource sustainability in Phuket, Thailand.

Based on Steven’s presentation, Doctor Gregory Borne, Director of the Plymouth Sustainability and Surfing Research Group (PSSRG), offered Steven to participate in a new book titled Sustainable Surfing.

After four years of communication and collaboration, the university’s book is published and available to English readers.

About the research

Steven’s research explores the concept of a ‘surf resource system boundary’. His work develops a theoretical concept in environmental science, representing the intersecting and interrelated human and physical elements in the natural world at a given surf site. In the study, Co-authored with Assoc. Prof. Danny O’Brien at Bond University, Australia, Steven explores numerous stakeholder interests and factors related to the ‘whole’ surf system as a sustainable and dynamic model. The research addresses a knowledge gap in this area, broadening the understanding of surf system boundaries and providing clarity in two sets of dimensions: the physical boundaries of surf sites and the key resource stakeholders.

Please visit Steven's Surf Tourism Research page for more information.

20th anniversary of Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines

In 2014, Dr. Martin, was invited to Taiwan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines in cooperation with Academia Sinica, the foremost research institute in Taipei, ROC. The Museum offered Steven a place in their upcoming publication, a book to commemorate their 20th anniversary: Religion, Law and State: Cultural Re-invigoration in the New Age.

After three years of communication and collaboration, the Museum’s book has been published and is now available to English and Chinese readers.

About the research

Steven’s research was focused on the remote, high-mountain jungle valley of Laipunuk (內本鹿), in the inaccessible mountains of southern Taiwan, home of the Bunun tribe, the last Taiwanese headhunters.

Having lived with the Bunun tribespeople for five years, he recorded their ways of life, their songs, their traditions and their histories, as part of an oral ethnography project.

According to Steven, “Taiwan is the source of the centuries-long process of the peopling of the Pacific, the so-called ‘Pacific Rainbow’ that maps the migration of peoples, materials and languages across the islands of the Pacific, from Taiwan all the way across to Hawaii.”

Speaking for the Faculty of International Studies (FIS), Steven shared his experience:

“Their stories are the last of their kind, and it was an immense privilege to have the opportunity to document their lives.”

Dr Steven Martin wrote and hosted What Makes a University Great? under the direction of Edward E. Vaughan. The video explores the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) and focuses on the story of leadership and the Dean of School, Prof. Kaye Chon. The video was produced by University Filmworks.

At SHTM, Steven discovers a little universe where students, teachers and industry professionals come together with outstanding synergy, uncovering a story of outstanding educators and leadership.

Environmental Studies & Our Food Environs

Welcome to "Food Environment", an emerging paradigm in Environmental Studies – A new way to think about food.

Food Environment is a concept which expresses a wide-range of topics and system boundaries related food production, distribution and consumption. Students learn from the personal perspective – That is, how human relationships with the environment are most intimate in our choice of what we put into our bodies.

Class projects and presentations develop an understanding of personal and social food environments as we explore how the environment flows into us in the food we choose to eat. The topic expands through class discussion to include contemporary dimensions, such as sustainable, toxic, local, or regional food environments, including private and public food networks and food deserts.

In 2014, Hollywood super star, Leonardo DiCaprio, was appointed as a United Nations representative on climate change. Dedicated to shedding light on global environmental issues, his works include The11th Hour and Before the Flood.

As our class works together to uncover global environmental issues, we learn about the individual scholars featured in these and other films produced by DiCaprio. Representing social, economic, political and scientific interests and communities, experts lead us through stories and examples from around the world, sharing personal insights, history, scientific data and innovative solutions.

Students in 805-283 Environmental Studies are asked to select one of the scholars featured in any of these movies for an in-depth report and presentation on their life, education, and the events leading to the position they defend in the film. Scholars' current projects, research, challenges, and advancements in the field are discussed.

The project is designed so that student projects can bring to light, in their own words, the interdisciplinary context of Environmental Studies in social, physical, and applied sciences.

NATIONAL PARKS OF THAILAND

Taking into consideration that 805-283 Environmental Studies is taught in Phuket, Thailand, course content includes contemporary local and regional issues concerning national and trans-boundary park systems and management.

Students are encouraged to gain personal experience and conduct field research at terrestrial and marine national parks. Nearly any topic is worth sharing with our class, including history, current events, successes, failures, and challenges in park management.

The sport of surfing is fundamentally dependent on limited coastal resources which are more than physical and tangible settings—they encompass the people who interact with the coastal environment and each other.

From the perspective of sustainability and conservation, coastal resources are normally discussed in the scheme of Coastal Resource Management (CRM).

CRM is an increasingly in-style field of study which integrates our understanding of natural and human elements, much like the discipline of geography includes physical and human geography (Martin, 2010).

Surf Resource System Boundaries

A ‘system boundary’ is a theoretical concept in environmental science representing the intersecting and interrelated human and physical elements in the natural world at a given site. This lecture, based on Martin and O'Brien (2017), develops a system boundary discussion on surf sites, recognizing ‘surf system boundaries’ as more than the beach and sea; they encompass numerous stakeholder interests and factors related to the scope of the ‘whole’ surf system as a sustainable and dynamic model.

Martin, S. A., & O'Brien, D. (2017). Part 2: A systems approach – Chapter 2. Surf resource system boundaries. In G. Borne and J. Ponting (Eds.), Sustainable surfing. Routledge: London.

Thailand Case Study

The tropical resort island of Phuket Thailand has exotic beaches, a dynamic tourism economy, and a distinct new surfing culture. In recent years, recreational surfing in Phuket has gained rapid popularity—It has also gained attention in domestic and international magazines and on the internet. Nonetheless, Thailand’s Andaman Coast remains a mysterious and nostalgic place—in the minds of the people who make up the tapestry of coastal cultures—and in the memories of the tourists who come each year (Martin, 2010).

Martin, S. A. (2010). Coastal resource and surfing in Thailand. Thailand Surfrider, (1) (pp. 42–50). Thalang, Phuket: Purple Diamond Ltd.

AMAZON RAINFOREST AND GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

One of the most rewarding experiences that I have had in Environmental Studies was the opportunity to visit the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazon Basin, and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific in 2004. The research was supported in part by the University of San Francisco De Quito (USFQ), Ecuador, and the Study Abroad Journal.

Through sharing my photos and National Geographic videos with students, key topics and issues are open for discussion.

Surfer’s Journal

One morning after a volunteer project at Kahaluu Beach Park in Kona, Hawaii, a couple approached me to ask if I collected patches, offering me a small patch with an image of the space shuttle on it.

It was none other than Scott Horowitz, four-time commander of the Space Shuttle, and his wife, Lisa.

Scott had just a few minutes to learn to surf, and so I geared him up, and we hit the water. Scott was a surf instructor's dream, naturally enough. As an astronaut, he had been selected for both physical strength and learning ability – so he was very close to the perfect student.

I saw a wave coming, just the right size and shape, and we got Scott turned toward the beach, in position on the board, and with a well-timed push coordinated with the wave, he was launched like a rocket. He found his balance, stood up, and was surfing on the first try. Beyond expectation, he turned on his own and traveled along the open face of the wave. It was the best I ever saw a student do on the first wave.

After his first wave, Scott exclaimed, "Surfing is out of this world!"

One thing led to another and over the next year I found myself imagining the entire shuttle crew to coming to the Big Island of Hawaii to surf and appear at local schools.

The next year Scott and fellow astronaut Pat Forrester came to Hawaii, officially representing the NASA Space Program, and appearing at schools across the island and catching a few waves.

I wrote a short article named, "The Space Ambassadors" to share the experience in the Kona Views Magazine.

I was young and enthusiastic about surfing and travel, so toting heavy camera gear, such as the telephoto lenses needed for surf photography, wasn't an option. These days were long before digital photography and the advent of the selfie.

I don't have many photos of the waves or photos of myself surfing in the early years of my international surfing, so I am thankful to have a few to share here on this page.

These are mainly amateur scrapbook pics, taken by friends made along the way, and recently dug out of an old shoebox and scanned.

Publications

Beginning with my first study abroad program in 1995, I wrote journals and took photographs of places I visited and people I met.

Later, I found these very useful in travel writing, coursework essays, and research scholarship.

Since then I have published over 50 articles and papers, ranging from articles in newspapers and magazines to post-graduate theses and research publications in peer-reviewed journals.

For more information about my ongoing research and publication, please visit Surf Tourism Research and Taiwan Ethnographic Research pages.

Refereed Peer-Reviewed Journal Papers

Martin, S. A. (2011). Laipunuk (Nei Ben Lu)—The last frontier of the Taiwan aborigines during the Japanese occupation on Taiwan: Ethnographic narratives of a Bunun elder. The International Journal of Asia Pacific Studies (IJAPS), 7(1) 123–142. ijaps.usm.my/?page_id=508

Martin, S. A. (2011). Rebuilding mama’s house—An ethnohistorical reconstruction and homecoming of the Bunun on Taiwan. Journal of International Studies, 1(2) 61–78. jis.fis.psu.ac.th/images/jis_file/-JIS_Vol1_No2/JIS_Vol.1_No.2_6.pdf

Martin, S. A. (2022). A Taiwan knowledge keeper of indigenous Bunun – An ethnographic historical narrative of Laipunuk (內本鹿), southern mountain range. Ethnography, 23(2) 153–180. doi.org/10.1177/1466138120937037

Martin, S. A. (2022). From shades of grey to Web of Science: A systematic review of surf tourism research in international journals (2011-2020). Journal of Sport & Tourism, 26(2) 125–146. doi.org/10.1080/14775085.2022.2037453

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2011). Beach and coastal survey of Thailand: What future for surf tourism. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, 3(1) 77–87. ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/44409/

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2012). The genesis of a new body of sport tourism literature: A systematic review of surf tourism research (1997-2011). Journal of Sport and Tourism, 17(4) 257–287. doi.org/10.1080/14775085.2013.766528

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2014). Developing a surf resource sustainability index as a global model for surf beach conservation and tourism research. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 19(7) 760–792. doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2013.806942

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2014). Investigating the importance of surf resource sustainability indicators: Stakeholder perspectives for surf tourism planning and development. Tourism Planning and Development, 11(2) 127–148. doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2013.864990

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2015). Measuring the conservation aptitude of surf beaches in Phuket, Thailand: An application of the surf resource sustainability index. International Journal of Tourism Research, 17(2) 105–117. doi.org/10.1002/jtr.1961

Martin, S. A., & Blundell, D. (2022). The last refuge and forced migration of a Taiwanese indigenous people during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan – An ethnohistory. Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 28(2) 206–231. doi.org/10.1080/13537113.2021.2011545.

Martin, S. A., & Ritchie, R. J. (2019). A social science index and conceptual framework for assigning weights in surf tourism planning and development. Tourism Planning and Development, 16(3) 281–303. doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2018.1470999

Martin, S. A., & Ritchie, R. J. (2020). Sourcing Thai geography literature for ASEAN and international education. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 41(1) 61–85. doi.org/10.1111/sjtg.12296

Reangvaranont, M., & Martin, S. A. (2013). A Comparative study on the learning experiences and learning style preferences of Thai and British postgraduate students at a United Kingdom university. Journal of International Studies, 3(2) 15–25. jis.fis.psu.ac.th/images/jis_file/-JIS_Vol3_No2/VOL_3_NO_2_2.pdf

Book Chapters

Martin, S. A., & Blundell, D. (2017). Cultural continuum among the Bunun of Laipunuk (Nei Ben Lu), southern Taiwan (Ch. 8) (pp. 215–246). In H. Chang and A. Mona [C. Tsai] (Eds.), Religion, law and state: Cultural re-invigoration in the new age. Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines and SMC: Taipei.

Martin, S. A., & O'Brien, D. (2017). Part 2: A systems approach – Chapter 2. Surf resource system boundaries. In G. Borne and J. Ponting (Eds.), Sustainable surfing (pp. 23–38). Routledge.

Theses

Martin, S. A. (2006). Ethnohistorical perspectives among the Bunun: A case study of Laipunuk, Taiwan. Master’s thesis. National Cheng-Chi University, Taipei, ROC. [+2 publications in peer-reviewed journals].

Martin, S. A. (2010). Coastal resource assessment for surf tourism in Thailand. Master’s thesis. Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand. [+1 publication in a peer-reviewed journal]

Martin, S. A. (2013). A surf resource sustainability index for surf site conservation and tourism management. Ph.D. dissertation. Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand. [+3 publications in peer-reviewed journals].

Conferences and Proceedings

Martin, S. A. (2009). Rethinking the monsoon: Sustainable surf tourism in Thailand. Paper presented at the International Tourism Conference on Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Management: Beyond the Global Recession. Silpakon University, Bangkok, Thailand, May 14–15.

Martin, S. A. (2010). Laipunuk (Nei Ben Lu)—The last frontier of the Bunun during the Japanese occupation on Taiwan: Ethnographic narratives of an Isbukun elder. Scholarly presentation [PowerPoint]. 3rd Annual PSU Phuket Conference: Multidisciplinary Studies on Sustainable Development. Nov. 17–19. Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand.

Martin, S. A. (2010). The conservation of coastal surfing resources in Thailand: The Andaman Sea. Proceedings of the International Conference on the Environment and Natural Resources (ICENR) 2010 – The Changing Environment: Challenges for Society (pp. 262–280), Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Bangkok, Thailand, November 10–12.

Martin, S. A. (2011). Music, marriage and adaptation among the Bunun from lost Laipunuk, southern Taiwan. CD Proceedings of the 4th Annual PSU Research Conference: Multidisciplinary Studies on Sustainable Development (p. 46). Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand, November 16–18.

Martin, S. A. (2013). Surf tourism and resource sustainability in Phuket, Thailand. Scholarly presentation [PowerPoint]. Global Surf Cities Conference: Destination Innovation Collaboration, Kirra Hill Community and Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, QLD, February 28 – March 1. Gold Coast: Gold Coast Surf City, Inc.

Martin, S. A. (2013). The surf resource sustainability index and Thailand case trial. Scholarly presentation [PowerPoint]. Global Surf Cities Conference: Destination Innovation Collaboration, Kirra Hill Community and Cultural Centre, Gold Coast, QLD, February 28 – March 1. Gold Coast: Gold Coast Surf City, Inc.

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2008). Beach and coastal survey: What future for surf tourism. CD Proceedings of the 7^th Asia Pacific Forum for Graduate Students’ Research in Tourism: Advances in Tourism Practices: Pointing the Way Forward (p. 12). University Teknologi Mara, Selangor, Malaysia, June 3–5.

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2008). Interdisciplinary approaches toward sustainable surf tourism in Thailand. Paper presented at the 1st PSU Sustainability Conference. Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Thailand, November 19–21.

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2011). A statistical analysis of surf tourism research literature. CD Proceedings of the 4th Annual PSU Research Conference: Multidisciplinary Studies on Sustainable Development (p. 57). Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand, November 16–18.

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2012). Measuring the importance of social, economic, environmental and governance indicators for the surf resource sustainability index. Proceedings of the 1st Annual PSU Phuket International Conference: Multidisciplinary Studies on Sustainable Development (p. 51). Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand, January 10–12, 2013.

Martin, S. A., & Assenov, I. (2012). Towards a surf resource sustainability index: A global model for surf site conservation and Thailand case study. Proceedings of the 18th Asia Pacific Tourism Association Annual Conference (APTA) Hospitality & Tourism Education: New Tourism & New Waves (pp. 745–760). Taipei, ROC, June 26–29. Busan, Korea: School of International Tourism, Dong-A University. [+ best paper award]

Martin, S. A., & Blundell, D. (2014). Marginalization, social change, and heritage: A continuum of Bunun in southern Taiwan. Proceedings of the 20th Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Congress Cambodia 2014 (p. 210). Siem Reap, Cambodia, January 12–18.

Martin, S. A., & Blundell, D. (2014). Contextualizing island Formosa through cultural heritage, digital mapping, and museology: A new trial for the journey home to the Bunun villages of old Laipunuk, Taiwan. Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Formosan Indigenous peoples: Contemporary Perspectives (p. 89). Taipei, Taiwan, ROC, September 15–17.

Martin, S. A., Assenov, I., & Ritchie, R. (2014). Towards a social science index and conceptual framework for assigning weights in sustainability research. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual PSU Phuket International Conference: Multidisciplinary Studies on Sustainable Development (p. 70). Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand, November 13–14. [+ best paper award]

Martin, S. A., & Ritchie, R. (2018). Towards an ASEAN community: A scoping study and case for teaching the geography of Thailand in the English language. Proceedings of the PSU Phuket International Conference 50th Anniversary Celebration: Creativity and Innovations for Global Development (p. 54). Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, Thailand, March 11–12.

JOURNAL OF SPORT & TOURISM | 2022 RESEARCH PUBLICATION

Surf Tourism Research | Surfer's Journal | Surfing Thailand | Water Safety & Lifeguarding

Surfing Experience and Lifestyle

Steven 'Surf Doctor' Martin experiencing the surfing lifestyle at the Kahalu'u beach house in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Lifeguarding and Water Safety

Water Safety and Lifeguarding in Hawaii

Kahalu'u Beach Park in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors | Surf Lessons Hawaii

Hawaii Lifeguard Surf Instructors (HLSI) beach house at Kahaluu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

"Big Monday" at the beach house | Kahaluu Beach Park, Kailua-Kona, Big Island

'High Surf Advisory' at the Kahaluu beach house

The Space Ambassadors | Surfing with NASA Astronauts

Surf Lessons Hawaii | Commander Scott Horowitz (lower right) and Mission Specialist Pat Forrester (lower center) and the STS-105 Crew

With Astronaut Scott Horowitz | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

NASA Astronaut Appearance Video | Shown to Big Island students during the Hawaii tour

Astronaut Scott Horowitz | Big Island of Hawaii students

Scott Horowitz | Big Island students in Kailua-Kona

Mission Specialist Pat Forrester | Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA)

Astronaut Scott Horowitz | Learning to surf in Kailua-Kona

Surf Resource Sustainability and Conservation

Steven's 'surfer-researcher lifestyle' was featured in Japan's Nalu Magazine | 2008 article by Riku Emoto | Click to view...

International Research Publications

Conducting research on "Surf Resource System Boundaries"

I hope you enjoy my photos and the information in the links provided.

If you feel motivated to learn more about these or other surfing experiences, or would like to arrange for me to give a public talk, please let me know – I’d love to hear from you.

Surf Tourism Research | Surfer's Journal | Surfing Thailand | Water Safety & Lifeguarding

LIFEGUARDING, OCEAN SAFETY, AND TEACHING WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

Backstory

At 15 years old, arriving in Hawaii for the first time, I was captivated by the Pacific – and the ocean became my life-long teacher. The surfing lifestyle led me to health, nature, and freedom.

Surfing was what I loved to do, and over time I found myself increasingly "Doing what I love, and loving what I do."

At Waikiki with Lifeguards Hawaii State

Through my experiences as a water safety professional, I learned important first-responder skills, such as First Aid and CPR. Later, I became an American Red Cross instructor.

Practical Experience and Professional Service

Phuket Rip Currents Poster | Steven Martin

Surfing Experience & Lifestyle | Surf Tourism Research | Surfer's Journal

Lifeguarding at Kahaluu and White Sands (Magic Sands) Beach Parks in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii | 1985-1991

Lifeguarding White Sands Beach (La'a Loa) | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii | 1989

Lifeguarding White Sands Beach (La'a Loa) | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii | 1990

White Sands Point (La'a Loa) | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii | 2000 | Click to "A Brief History of Surfing"

Kahaluu Beach Park | County of Hawaii

Kuemanu Heiau (surfing shrine) | Kahaluu Beach Park, Big Island of Hawaii | Click enlarge

Students learning to surf at the Kuemanu Heiau surfing shrine at Kahaluu Beach Park

Lifeguarding at Hapuna Beach State Park in South Kohala, Hawaii, with Lifeguards Hawaii State

Hawaii County lifeguard tower at Hapuna Beach State Park

Winter 1992 | Lifeguarding at Hapuna Beach State Park | Lifeguards Hawaii State

The first lifeguard tower at Hapuna Beach State Park in South Kohala, Hawaii | Lifeguards Hawaii State

California State Park Lifeguarding in San Clemente, Orange Coast State District

Surfing and Ocean Safety in Phuket, Thailand

Water Safety and Lifeguarding Experience

Letters of Recommendation | Water Safety

Thank you for visiting my Lifeguarding and Ocean Safety Page.

I hope you enjoy the photos and the information in the links provided. If you feel motivated to learn more about ocean safety, lifeguarding or surf tourism, please let me know – I’d love to hear from you.

Surfing Experience & Lifestyle | Surf Tourism Research | Surfer's Journal | Surfing Thailand

SOUTH AMERICA 1996 | FIRST TIME TO THE NEW WORLD

Costa Rica was a popular destination among surfers – And I had plenty of good reasons to study in Costa Rica.

I wanted travel, fun, romance, adventure, and most of all, to surf the legendary waves that I had heard about.

The study abroad program I picked was with the University of Nevada at Reno and University Study Abroad Consortium (USAC), an organization which represented a number of US universities and guaranteed accreditation.

Studying abroad with University Study Abroad Consortium (USAC) | Costa Rica 1996

A few hours from Panama City

Panama Canal

Quito | Ecuador

Standing at the Equator | Quito

Surf at Pichilemu | Chile

Fishers at Pichilemu | Chile

Aconcagua | Chile/Argentina border

Mar Del Plata | Argentina

Whale Research | Uruguay

Surf beach | Uruguay

Checking the surf near Rio | Brazil

Rio de Janeiro | Brazil

Saquarema | Brazil

South America | 1996 Travel Journal

South America | 1996 Travel Journal

Other Learning Adventures

Amazonia | Batanes Islands | Cambodia | Galapagos Islands | Great Wall | Jewel of Travel | Mekong Delta | Pakistan | Silk Road | South Africa | Spain | Surf Experience | Surfing Thailand | Taiwan Studies | Tibet | Water Safety

The Faculty of International Studies hereby congratulates Dr Steven Martin on his promotion to Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, as from 4th April 2018.

Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand, News (in Thai) | Promotion to Assistant Professor of Asian Studies in the Field of Anthropology and Sociology

Eastern Civilization Textbook Cover | Asst Prof Dr Steven A Martin | Faculty of International Studies

Photo: Proceedings of the 2018 PSU Phuket International Conference 50th Anniversary Celebration

An Introduction to Q and A Sharing in Research – Publication and Resource Strategies for Publishing in International Journals

The Faculty of International Studies hereby congratulates Dr Steven Martin on his promotion to Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, as from 4^th April 2018.

The Faculty of International Studies hereby congratulates Dr. Steven Martin on his promotion to Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, as from 4^th April 2018.