SPMT11-127: Surf Industry Studies

In this subject, students will learn about the history and culture of surfing and how the sport has evolved to form the basis of a multi-billion dollar, highly fragmented global industry. The modern surf industry incorporates sport, media, arts, apparel, hardware, tourism, education and technology sectors. This subject will be built around issues confronting managers in this industry and will utilise case studies and guest speakers to explore and understand the industry’s inherent challenges and opportunities. Surfing often takes place in urban centres, but also in socially and ecologically fragile regions – both contexts present challenges and opportunities for the industry’s key stakeholders. With its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, and with the commercialisation of artificial wave technology in the form of surf parks, surfing participation is set for unprecedented growth, presenting new opportunities and challenges. A sustainable development lens is adopted to examine surfing’s tangible and intangible impacts; its built and natural infrastructure; the regional and urban areas in which it takes place; and the private, public and third sector partnerships upon which the modern industry is built.