The Gold Coast has long been synonymous with the surfing industry, recognised worldwide as a preferred surfing destination. For a city known as a “surfers paradise” it turns out that this is a fitting title indeed – with a world-first surf industry development project showing that the industry contributes approximately $2.0 billion annually to the Gold Coast economy.
For the sixth largest city in Australia, this is a substantial figure, and this is before the flow-on effect throughout the economy has been factored in.
In fact, the $2.0 billion in activity that this multi-faceted global industry is contributing to the Gold Coast is estimated to generate up to a further $3.3 billion in output, 21,760 employment positions and $1.0 billion in wages and salaries.
The surf industry development project was developed by Business Gold Coast, the Gold Coast City Council’s Economic Development Branch, to identify the economic value of the surf industry on the Gold Coast and to recommend strategies for future industry development.
Mark Winson, Operations Manager at Surfing Queensland, said it was great that the surf industry had finally been officially recognised for the significant value it brought to the local economy.
“For many years, the surf industry has heavily influenced the Gold Coast economy and it’s great to see formal recognition of its worth,” said Mr Winson.
“Surfing Queensland is really pleased to be involved in developing this project, the first in the world to attach a value to the lucrative surf industry.
“What this project demonstrates is that the surfing is more than a lifestyle option, it is a strong, viable industry that is contributing significantly to local economies throughout Australia.”
The first stage, a Surf Industry Review & Economic Contributions Assessment, was completed by the AEC Group in August 2009. Contributors included The Burleigh Boardriders Club, Surfing Queensland, Billabong International, Council, Gold Coast Tourism and Connecting Southern Gold Coast.
The second stage of the project will see Business Gold Coast develop a comprehensive Gold Coast surf strategy to ensure the industry continues to grow and prosper well into the future.
Gold Coast Councillor Susie Douglas, said the project provides a key foundation for future development of the surf industry on the Gold Coast.
“The Gold Coast was built around its beaches and surfing has long been a way of life for our city.”
“But it is more than simply a lifestyle decision, the surf industry has been transformed into a billion-dollar global multifaceted industry, and the Gold Coast is a leader in this evolving industry.
“Not only do we have amazing surf breaks at our feet, we have international tourists coming to our beaches to surf, as well as major surfing events such as the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro generating significant tourism spend for the city.
“We also have a number of surf retailers who are based in the region, most notably Billabong International, who are a major contributor to the local surf industry and arguably one of the most recognised sports brands in the world.
“The economic impact of this diverse industry for the Gold Coast is enormous, with the surf industry comprising approximately 9.4% of total output from the Gold Coast economy and around 12.6% of employment.
Billabong International, a recognised leader in the surf industry was a major contributor to the report and the Australasian General Manager, Nathan Brown, believes the report has impacts for the industry far beyond the Gold Coast.
“It is important that we gain an understanding of the contribution of the surf industry to the Gold Coast economy as well as to the Australian economy, and this report is a step in the right direction,” said Mr Brown.
“It gives all stakeholders a point of reference when communicating their position on matters impacting our ocean environment, and will go a long way to ensuring the industry receives an appropriate allocation of resources in the future.
“I think surfers have generally understood the importance of surfing to the Gold Coast, but I'm sure the wider community will be quite surprised by the findings from the study.”
Business Gold Coast brands the economic development branch of the Gold Coast City Council, and is committed to proactively developing a sustainable economy through industry development initiatives and investment attraction opportunities.
Business Gold Coast partners with potential investors to create business opportunities, facilitate access to funding and generate networking connections across nine industry sectors, including sport.
www.businessgc.com.au
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