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The global surfing market is projected to reach $5.5 billion in value by 2030, according to the “Surfing – Global Strategic Business Report.” The 387-page document which was published this week analyzes data from surf-related tourism, online and offline sales of equipment, apparel, and even the industry’s infatuation with things like making algae-based boards as sustainable alternatives.
“Surfing Boards, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record 3.6 percent CAGR and reach US$3.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period,” the report says. “Growth in the Apparel & Accessories segment is estimated at 3.1 percent CAGR for the next eight-year period.”
Admittedly, surfing and global financial projections don’t seem like the most obvious crossover but reports like this one from Research and Markets exist for just about anything you can think of. The research tool has similar reports for everything from lubricants and grease to the market for drugs to treat liver and kidney disorders. If somebody is making money off of it, there’s also somebody analyzing the potential profit opportunity for the investors or future entrepreneurs entering that market. There is a hoverboard scooter market report, which is worth a fair amount more than surfing, according to Research and Markets ($8.67B in 2024 and projected to reach $10.58B by 2028).
Last year, a similar report focused on the value of making surfboards over the next decade. That particular report didn’t provide an overall market value and instead focused specifically on projected revenue of $6.7B by 2033.
“Surfers are continuously seeking new surfing experiences for the purposes of leisure, excitement, and adventure. With the advent of electric surfboards, surfers are now able to engage in the sport even in the absence of waves on flat water,” they said in 2023.
That 2023 report also predicted our preferred method of purchasing a board won’t go the way of online sales – or waiting on daily Amazon deliveries. Instead, they expect surfers to stick with the age-old tradition of walking into a storefront and grabbing a fresh board or filling out an order card.
