China’s Surf Scene is the Next Break for Australian Brands

Published on October 28, 2025

Surfing in China? Didn’t see that coming.

China isn’t exactly the first place that springs to mind when you think of waxed boards and reef breaks. Concrete, sure. Commerce, definitely. But surf culture? That’s a new one. Still, head to the coast and you’ll find a scene that’s quietly, confidently swelling.

Shops can’t keep boards in stock. Local surf schools are booked solid. And those once-empty beaches? Now filled with first-timers wobbling their way through the whitewash, and loving every second of it.

In 2024, China’s surfing tourism industry pulled in about US$2.35 billion. By 2030, it’s projected to hit US$3.66 billion. That’s not a ripple. That’s a market about to break.

For Australian surf brands squeezed by an oversaturated market back home, this could be the open lineup you’ve been waiting for. The question is: do you paddle out now, or watch from the shore while someone else catches your wave?

Overview:

China’s Surf Scene Is Growing Faster Than You Think

Here’s a stat that might raise a few eyebrows: China’s surfboard market is already worth around half a billion U.S. dollars in 2024. By 2033, it’s expected to hit roughly US$754 million. Not bad for a country most Aussies wouldn’t have even marked on the global surf map.

Even more striking? China now leads the world in surf tourism growth. From 2025, it’s on track to grow by 14.3% a year. That’s nearly twice the U.S. (7.2%) and more than double Australia (6.5%). Not exactly a gentle swell.

So what’s behind it all? 2 things: government backing and a generation that won’t stay indoors.

Beijing’s been throwing serious support behind outdoor sports, funding new beaches, coastal facilities, and national surf events.

But the real engine here? China’s under-40s. Millennials and Gen Z make up more than 85% of China’s outdoor sport enthusiasts, and they’re not just buying kit for a photo op. Many are spending between RMB 5,000 (about US$700) to 20,000 (US$2,800) a year on water sports, surfing included.

And the sales data backs it up. Latest insights from Discripto®, WPIC’s proprietary analytics platform, show that growth is surging across every major platform and category. On Douyin Shop (China’s TikTok), the surf, waterski, and windsurf segment grew more than 350% year-on-year in 2025, while SUP boards jumped over 470%. Across Tmall, JD, and Douyin combined, sales of wetsuits and rash guards climbed more than 400%, and even diving fins spiked by more than 700%. It’s growth breaking across every corner of the category.

For Australian surf and outdoor brands, that matters. These new consumers aren’t chasing cheap gear or novelty. They want authenticity. Labels with roots, grit, and that easy confidence that only comes from real coastal culture. In other words, exactly what Australian brands already have in spades.

Inside Hainan, the Heart of China’s Surf Culture

So where’s all this happening?

Head south to Hainan. Once known mostly for honeymoon packages and coconuts, it’s now the pulsing centre of China’s surf culture. Think palm trees, warm water, and a growing crowd of locals who can actually stay upright on a board.

The island’s surf culture spins around one spot: Riyue Bay. It’s the crown jewel of Chinese surf breaks, with reliable waves about 80% of the time between November and February. That kind of consistency would make plenty of Gold Coast regulars quietly jealous.

Anchoring the scene is the Riyue Bay Surf Club, founded in 2011 and now recognised as China’s largest and the world’s 2nd-largest surfing club. It has trained more than 3,000 members to date, including athletes for China’s national team. Supported by the Wanning Municipal Government, the club has become the beating heart of the local surf community, shaping Hainan’s rise as China’s unofficial surf capital.

And it’s not just about competition. For many young professionals escaping China’s 996 work rhythm, surfing offers something rare: permission to switch off.

The sight of people swapping laptops for longboards has become quietly symbolic, a small rebellion against the grind. Online, the movement’s easy to spot. Douyin and RedNote are full of clips of first-timers wiping out, laughing, and trying again. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real, and that’s exactly why it’s catching on.

In 2024, Hainan welcomed around 97 million tourist trips, an 8% jump year-on-year, with visitors spending roughly RMB 204 billion (US$28.6 billion). Even nearby Huizhou in Guangdong province saw tourism leap by 190%, largely powered by the surfing boom.

Not bad for a country that, until recently, wouldn’t have made it onto anyone’s surf map.

How Water Sports Brands Are Riding China’s E-commerce Wave

Still imagining China as a tangle of red tape and a bureaucratic migraine dressed up as “opportunity”? Fair enough. But you’re at least a decade behind the times.

Today, China is the world’s biggest e-commerce market. That’s hardly breaking news. What is worth noting is how straightforward it’s become for overseas brands to sell directly to Chinese consumers through crossborder e-commerce (CBEC).

Here’s the short version. You can sell straight to shoppers through platforms like Tmall Global or JD Worldwide. You don’t need to set up a company on the mainland or hand control to a local distributor. You keep your prices, your brand, your stock. It’s straightforward and surprisingly fast.

And the timing could not be better. Surfing has found its digital spotlight. Douyin and RedNote are now key stages where lifestyle meets commerce. Clips turn into clicks, and trends become sales. What began as weekend fun is rapidly evolving into a full-blown content economy around surf culture.

Because surfing isn’t just a sport. It’s a feeling. Freedom. Salt air. Sun on your back. A quiet little rebellion against everything organised and predictable. That’s what young Chinese consumers are chasing, and they’re doing it with their wallets open.

Surf culture has now gone mainstream in China. It’s showing up in ad campaigns, fashion shoots, and even national TV. Sure, local style preferences still shape how people dress at the beach, but the appetite for the surf lifestyle itself is unmistakable.

A few Australian names are already out there testing the water. Rip Curl and AXESEA both run official flagship stores on Tmall, ranking among the platform’s top-selling Australian surf labels.

Even the Cancer Council, better known for its sunscreens, has carved out a steady base on Tmall Global by positioning its products for sensitive-skinned consumers who want serious sun protection for outdoor life. It’s proof that Australian credibility in sun, surf, and sea culture translates naturally into China’s fast-growing outdoor sports market.

Yet despite these early moves, there’s still no dominant surf label in China. No brand has truly claimed the space. It’s wide open, and the current is only getting stronger.

So the question is simple. Are you paddling out, or sitting on the sand while someone else catches your wave?

The Next Break for Australian Surf Brands

Surfing has never really been about geography. It’s about spirit. That restless urge to chase the next break, the cleaner swell, the wilder ride. And right now, some of the most promising waves aren’t rolling into Bondi or Byron. They’re breaking on the beaches of Hainan, in a place most people never thought to look.

That’s the thing about culture. It never stays still. It shifts, drifts, and reappears somewhere unexpected, sometimes with a coconut in one hand and a surfboard in the other.

For Australian surf brands, this moment isn’t only about selling gear. It’s about shaping what global surf culture looks like in the next decade. The scene in China is still young, still wide open, and waiting for the right names to help define it.

So ask yourself this: when was the last time your brand’s growth plan actually gave you a jolt of excitement? Not boardroom-excited, but the real kind. The kind that smells of salt and sunscreen and possibility.

That feeling? It’s out there now. Rolling in. Just offshore. WPIC can help you paddle out and catch it.

Get in touch to talk about bringing your brand to China’s rising surf scene.

About WPIC

Leadership

Careers

Newsroom

China’s Surf Scene is the Next Break for Australian Brands

Overview:

China’s Surf Scene Is Growing Faster Than You Think

Inside Hainan, the Heart of China’s Surf Culture

How Water Sports Brands Are Riding China’s E-commerce Wave

The Next Break for Australian Surf Brands

Latest related articles

Inside China’s Rapidly Growing Outdoor & Sporting Goods Market

Why Australian Brands Should Expand into APAC Markets Now