Surf tourism booms in NSW

SURF tourism is booming in NSW, with the number of international tourists who hit the waves rising by 53 per cent over the past four years.

SURF tourism is booming in NSW, with the number of international tourists who hit the waves rising by 53 per cent over the past four years

The State Government's new “Catching the Wave” report found the number of young international visitors who engage in surfing activity hit 288,000 last year.

Tourism Minister Jodi McKay plans to build on that success, yesterday launching a new campaign at Manly Beach to target surfers around the globe with a surf tourism website and advertisements in surfing magazines.

It will also help local councils up and down the coast on ways to maximise their promotions to the surf community.

The report said five of the countries seven surf reserves were located in NSW, including reserves at Cronulla, Crescent Head and Lennox Head, as well as 40 per cent of Australia's surf schools and it has the most accessible surfing coastline.

Most international tourists who surf come from Europe, the UK and Asia.

While the bulk of international surfers who visit Australia already come to NSW, Ms McKay said there was plenty of opportunity for growth.

”International visitors are primarily young people in a backpacker market and about half of all backpackers who come here are surfers,” Ms McKay said.

”They fly into Sydney but they have the option of going to the South Coast or the North Coast.”

Seven times women's world surf champion Layne Beachley was also pleased to receive a $45,000 cheque from the NSW Government for the 2009 Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic, which starts tomorrow.

The move is part of the $40 million three-year NSW Tourism Strategy.

Juliana Scopel, from Brazil, has been surfing since she was eight and came to live in Sydney because she heard about its great beaches from friends who had already made the move.

”The world championships happen here and there are lots of good surfers from Australia,” the 28-year-old said.

Twenty-year-old Bettina Tanner, from Switzerland, has been in Australia for four months and had one surf lesson at Manly Beach.

Her friend Julia Fritschi, also 20, hasn't had a chance to hit the waves yet but said it is definitely on her “to do” list.

”We wanted to come here because of the nice weather and the beaches,” Bettina said.

”It's very hard to learn it but this weekend I am doing a surf weekend and I hope I can get better.”

Narrabeen surfer Zahn Foxton, 27, has mixed feelings about the new tourism initiative.

”I don't like the surf getting any more crowded but it's good for the town,” he said.

”I'm an instructor at Manly Surf School and it's fun to teach them (tourists) to surf.”

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