Jose Sanchez
Research expert covering society, economy, & politics for Latin America
Surfing - statistics & facts
Surfing has a particularly long history, with the activity thought to have originated in Polynesia. Today, it is a sport enjoyed by millions worldwide, having been brought to global attention by Hawai’ian Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku in the early 20th century. Current surfing hotspots include Australia and the west coast of the United States; the U.S. state with the most surfing locations has over 400 surf spots in total, while the number of adult surfers in Australia reached a new high in 2023.
How big is the global surfing market?
Surfing is a lucrative global industry. While up-to-date figures are hard to come by, expenditure on surf tourism was last estimated to total as much as 65 billion U.S. dollars per year. Surfers themselves can encounter significant costs, with items like transport and accommodation ranking among the biggest outlays for surfers in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, those fortunate enough to make a living from the sport can attract sizeable audiences on social media, with the most-followed surfers having follower counts well into the millions. This has facilitated partnerships with big-name brands, with the likes of Red Bull sponsoring a large number of leading surfers.Is surfing an Olympic sport?
Surfing has featured in the Olympics since the 2020 Games, with the Paris 2024 events taking place in Tahiti - a record 9,800 miles away from the host city. The United States leads the nascent medal table for Olympic surfing, having also produced a significant number of surfing world champions. Meanwhile, there has also been a push for para surfing (also known as adaptive surfing) to become a Paralympic sport, yet organizers for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles ultimately decided against its inclusion. With the subsequent Paralympics taking place in Australia, another location with a host of surf spots, para surfing advocates will look to keep the fight going in the coming years.
