From its humble beginnings, surfing has transformed into a lucrative, international industry, and the US surf tourism market alone was estimated to be worth $14 billion in 2024. More people are taking up the sport than ever before, and with GPS-enabled surfboards, performance-tracking smart watches and artificial wave technology improving year-on-year (as shown in this photo of the landlocked Kelly Slater Surf Ranch), the trend is set to continue.

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The incredible history of surfing in iconic photos