Surfing boosts country's coffers

The World Surf League's (WSL) Fiji Pro partner­ship generated more than $15.95 million in valued brand exposure for Fiji and injected $2.63m into the local economy during the 2025 event, Parlia­ment was told on Tuesday.

Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka said the returns came against an an­nual Government investment of about $2.2m in hosting the Fiji Pro Championship Tour at Cloud break.

Responding to a parliamentary question on the value derived from the WSL partnership, Ga­voka said the event had delivered benefits across tourism, aviation, local businesses and communi­ties.

"The partnership with the World Surf League, and the host­ing of the Championship Tour at Cloudbreak, is one of the clearest examples of how a well-chosen sporting event can deliver value across tourism, aviation, local business and community," he said.

Tourism Fiji secured total brand exposure valued at more than $15.95m through the partnership.

This included $7.5m in social media value, $7.5m in digital and linear broadcast value and more than $558,332.50 (US$257,000) in media-plan advertising.

He said the exposure represent­ed significant destination mar­keting value compared with the Government's annual investment of about $2.2m.

The 2025 event also generated $2.63m in direct spending in the local economy.

The spending covered event in­frastructure and local contrac­tors, hotels and lodging, Fiji Air­ways airfares, catering, facility hire, transport and local market­ing.

An estimated 4250 spectators at­tended the event, while 125 people participated directly as athletes, coaches and staff.

The event reached a global au­dience, generating 7.77m views across live and on demand plat­forms, with the largest audiences in the United States, Brazil and Australia.

On social media, 657 branded posts generated more than 125.7m impressions and more than 70.9m video views.

The event also generated more than 4000 press placements across more than 30 countries, with a global advertising value equivalent of more than AU$6lm (FJ$95.5m).

Gavoka added that the partner­ship had also delivered infra­structure and community ben­efits.

The Cloudbreak Surf Tower, built by the World Surf League in 2024 for the Nabila and Momi vil­lages, was identified as a lasting asset associated with the event.

Seventeen indigenous, commu­nity and environmental initia­tives were also delivered during the 2025 event.

These included the WSL One Ocean conservation programme with Conservation International, the Fiji Surf Association and the Mamanuca Environment Society, as well as a youth surf clinic and coastal clean-up at Natadola Beach.

Water trauma training and paid event roles were provided for members of the Fiji Surf Associ­ation, while speciality heats with prize money were held for local surfers.

Gavoka said the event was also held outside the peak holiday period, helping spread visitor spending across the year.

Fiji hosted the WSL Champion­ship Tour at Cloudbreak under a three-year commitment cover­ing 2024 to 2026, approved under Cabinet Decision 320 of 2023.

The partnership was extended in 2025, securing the Fiji Pro on the Championship Tour through to 2029.

In 2025, Cloudbreak hosted the Lexus WSL Finals Fiji presented by Corona Cero from August 27 to September 4, the final event of the season where the world champions were crowned.

Fiji will host the Fiji Pro from August 25 to September 4, as the eighth stop of the Championship Tour.

Gavoka said the partnership supported the Government's strategy of diversifying tourism, spreading visitor spending and growing high-value, sustain­able tourism.

"The outcomes of the 2025 event, as reported to Cabinet, demonstrate the value this part­nership returns,'' he said.

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