The Regulation of SUP and Adventure Sports

The fast growing recreational adventure sports industry, including, SUP, is making regulation headway in relation with the concept of a Governing Body no longer relevant

Tania Nesbitt, CEO for ASI, the world’s leading provider of SUP education and accreditation, explains what is happening on a global basis.

There are three types of regulation:
•    Government laws
•    Self regulation
•    Insurance requirements

Government Laws - Land Owners

The recreational adventure sports industry, including SUP, is continuing to gain economic significance with government departments around the world.  This sector has been identified as a key driver for tourism, creating employment and assisting to get the general population fit and healthy in order to reduce the health budget.

In many countries, adventure activity tourism operators must hold permits to operate.  Part of this process is demonstrating the capacity to provide “safe and quality” activities.  

As a result, having a proper and recognised educational framework for instructors and standards for school operators is becoming a focus with more government departments around the world.   With the government department recognising quality training providers.

In order to obtain a permit, the operator must submit their instructor qualifications and in some case their accredited school certificate.

For example, Australia is currently highly regulated with instructors required to hold  instructor qualifications and in some areas, also hold accredited school status. ASI is one of only two training organisations approved in Australia.    ASI is the only approved training provider and is currently training up over 100 surfing instructors in the Philippines, supported by the Department of Tourism.    Portugal is implementing new standards both for operators and instructors. And many other countries have started investigating and formalising their adventure sports tourism sector.   

In the UK, the Adventure Activities Licencing Authority (AALA) also regulates SUP.  SUP Schools providing activities to persons under 18 years of age are required to be AALA registered (where activities are unsupervised, i.e. each parent is not in attendance)

Self Regulation
In countries without regulation, professional membership organisations, like ASI, set standards for instructors and school operations.   

In this case, instructors may choose to obtain their training qualifications based on:
•    the quality of the training and trainers
•    range of training courses offered and career development
•    recognition of training by education departments
•    the length of time the training provider has been operating
•    renewal requirements
•    international presence and recognition – able to work in other countries around the world.

SUP School operators may choose to obtain school accreditation based on:
•    the products and services offered such as procedure manuals and forms suitable in the event of an insurance claim
•    training programs and resources to offer to their students
•    branding
•    marketing of their school such as listing and writes up on the accreditation organisations website.
•    Insurances at special prices and ease of dealing with the insurer
•    International networking presence

Insurance
Insurance companies generally provide insurance based on the operator and instructors holding appropriate and current qualifications.  In the event of an incident, the insurer will ask for is a copy of current instructor qualifications and experience.

Operators and instructors must keep their qualifications on file for 7 years, in the event of a claim within this period, and for lengthy proceedings.

Insurers may not ask for updated qualifications and paperwork at time of obtaining insurance.  However, in the event of an incident, a mountain of paperwork would be required to demonstrate you are not negligent.

National Governing Body
The notion of a National Governing Body for recreational adventure sports tourism operators is no longer applicable.
Government departments will be regulating the industry and recognising training organisations, who are also professional membership organisations, with appropriate educationally sound systems, processes and credentials.
 

 

ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors), is the worldwide peak body for Instructors and Coaches in the outdoor recreation and sport industry for surfing, stand up paddle and bodyboarding.
www.academyofsurfing.com

We set the standards for education, accreditation, professional development and ongoing support for our members, offering pathways from entry level to elite level.  

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ASI Accredited Schools abide by the high international standards for operations, training and safety.