The San Francisco Chronicle had their own spin on the Associated press article about the Center for Surf Research, writing positively about Jess Ponting’s efforts to affect positive change on the surf industry through his work at San Diego State University.
A link to the full article is HERE. Read an excerpt to the article below:
Surfers are unique in that they – unlike other kinds of tourists – will often pursue a wave no matter how far and difficult it may be to get there, Ponting said. They flock to nations in the midst of wars or after natural disasters, making them a resilient market for impoverished countries struggling to persuade traditional tourists to return.
That makes them a key market for places like Liberia, which has struggled to lose its image as a place of civil unrest but is quickly rising as the next unexplored surf frontier. Ponting is working on funding for a joint project with a nonprofit organization to guide the country’s tourism department so locals reap the benefits instead of foreigners who may better understand the market.