SURF CITY DEFINITION
A Surf City is an urban area where surfing, surf culture, and employment in industries based on the surf sector form a significant part of the economic, social, and cultural base of society and where there is a surf industry officially recognized by the municipality.
Prof. Ian Eddie and Jack Carroll (Gold Coast, Australia)
ABOUT WORLD SURF CITIES NETWORK
For a Surf City, the following aspects need to be considered: Location, natural resources and population size, industry (design and production of surfboards, textiles, accessories and equipment, and retail), services (surf tourism, surf schools, surf competitions and events, surf education and training, surf media, surf-related real estate market, etc.), surf culture (number of surfers and surf clubs and associations, surf culture, history and surf icons of the city), and recognition of the importance
WHY A WORLD NETWORK OF SURF CITIES
The WSCN aims to boost local economic activity (industry, tourism and local employment) through surfing by sharing knowledge and ideas between surf cities and collaborating on projects. The network is led by the cities of Viana do Castelo, Portugal, Europe (Presidency) and Arica (Chile) in South America, both with extensive experience in innovation management and international collaboration. Fifteen Surf Cities in Europe, America, Africa and Oceania make up the Network. They all share a common interest in improving local competitiveness and sustainable development through surfing.
OBJECTIVES
Boosting local economic activity (industry, tourism and local jobs) through surfing by exchanging knowledge and ideas and cooperating among surf cities on projects. Encouraging local development through surfing: economically developed but sustainable cities; surfing-sector companies that innovate in processes, services and management; surfing as a generator de tourism and local wealth; consolidating a qualified professional surfing sector; internationalising local surfing companies; surfing as a model of social inclusion, etc.
STRUCTURE OF THE NETWORK
The promotion of surfing and related industries for the economic development of cities, as well as the identification of other cities in the world with the same goal, led to the creation of the World Network of Surf Cities.
The 2023-2024 Board of Directors, the "WSCN Presidency", composed of the surf cities of Viana do Castelo and Arica, decided to create a Focal Point for each surf city, responsible for integrating the cities into the global network and streamlining the processes. The Focal Point will be the direct contact for the surf cities when it comes to receiving information/communication from the Presidency and the Technical Secretariat, will be responsible for liaising with local stakeholders and developing tasks entrusted to or requested by the network.
All cities in the network are members of the steering committee. Network cities hold an annual meeting to present annual results and approve new member cities and the activity plan for the following year. The last WSCN meeting was held in December 2022 in Salinas and Montañita (Ecuador).