Abstract
Surf destinations have been mostly found in tropical locations in the past but are increasing in more extreme cold-water climates such as the Maine, USA coast in the North Atlantic. In order for sustainable management around informal sports like surfing to take place, understanding which places are impacted most by these new recreation pursuits, is a way to mitigate issues between communities hosting these activities and those visitors participating.in them. This analysis reviews the contributions social media VGI (Voluntary Geographic Information) mapping techniques in understanding the dynamic between locals and visitors as well as shows the changing density of surfing as it spreads over 20 years along the Maine Coast. It is suggested that this special geographic technique using big data sets can be of value especially for informal sports that don’t have ticket sales or formal tracking of participation.
Presenters
Tracy MichaudProgram Chair - Associate Professor, Tourism and Hospitality Program, University of Southern Maine, Maine, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Global Sports Local Cultures
KEYWORDS
Social Media, VGI, Surfing, Community Management
