The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed description of the current state of the surfing tourism industry in Peniche, Portugal, and to perform a sustainability-oriented analysis of its development. Also, this thesis represents an attempt to contribute to the overall field of surfing tourism, specifically to a better understanding of the implications of this form of tourism’s development in developed country settings. A thorough review of the literature on surfing tourism was performed, which suggested that a proper contribution to the understanding of the issues surrounding the sustainability of surfing tourism destinations should be based on the perceptions of local stakeholders. As such, a Social Constructivist approach to qualitative research was employed during the analysis of twenty-four semi-structured interviews with local surfers and business owners of the county of Peniche. The analysis of the stakeholders’ main perceptions and concerns regarding surfing tourism suggested that there currently are a few threats to the sustainability of the industry in Peniche. Respondents have identified an “uncontrolled” growth of the local surfing tourism industry, which has been increasingly responsible for changes on both the commercial and recreational contexts, which in turn have caused a few economic, sociocultural and environmental impacts on the destination. The identified growth has been propelled by promotional efforts made by public and private entities, but the results suggest that there has not been an adequate investment in regulatory, infrastructural and logistical support for the growth of the industry that has resulted. Stemming from this realization, a set of recommendations for the implementation of innovative sustainability practices is presented, based on the main challenges to the industry’s future development pointed out by respondents. It is argued that such practices can turn Peniche into a benchmark for the sustainability of surfing tourism in destinations of developed nations, through the overcoming of future environmental, sociocultural, and economic challenges
