retail buyer’s guide
RETAIL BUYER’S GUIDE
S U R F B OA R D S 2 022
TOWN & COUNTRY
The surfboard market is now worth billions of dollars and has an increasingly diverse population of surfers so it would be nice to get an insight from its players to help build your in-shop line-up, now wouldn’t it? Buyer’s guide and trends 2022 by David Bianic.
Whether it’s with your partner or in the waves, size shouldn’t matter but it must be said that the surfboard market has grown a hell of a lot… in turnover. According to the latest study on the Surfboards Market Share and Size 20222026, global board sales in 2026 could reach a staggering $3.1 billion, up from the 2020 estimate of $2.7 billion, that’s an average growth rate of 7% per year. The geographical distribution of this business volume is equally interesting with the U.S. accounting for $1.2 billion in 2021. But it is the projected growth of the Asia-Pacific region that is most striking at 600 million by 2026. 14
“I think surfboards in general have always had that element of the search for old magic. It’s a bit of a pendulum. It’s a good sales thing and keeps people interested.” Nick Urrichio, Semente Surfboards
There are various drivers for such growth starting with the paradoxical effect of the COVID pandemic on the leisure sector but the study also highlights other factors such as improved accessibility to the sport of kings, i.e. the boom in surf tourism, easy to use equipment and the expansion of women’s surfing. The figures should put a smile on the faces of surf industry players but these days they are more concerned with sustainable growth than
