The economic impact of the championship, driven by the Xunta, Diputación, and the Concellos of Valdoviño and Ferrol, is noticeable across the entire region’s hospitality sector, extending overnight stays and per-person spending during the event.
Valdoviño (Pantín), August 30th. – The Valdoviño City Council, located along the rugged and wild coastline of Galicia within the Ortegal Geopark, a part of UNESCO’s global network, stands as a reference and paradise for surf enthusiasts throughout the year. However, each summer, over nine days (from August 26th to September 3rd), Pantín Beach transforms into a small international surf city, hosting around 200 competitors from four continents: Europe, America, Asia, and Africa. Among them are some of the world’s best surfers participating in the ABANCA PANTÍN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO, Spain’s only stop on the European circuit of the World Surf League (WSL).
Beyond surfing, the event holds economic significance due to its direct and positive impact on job creation in the region and its injection into tourism. It garners support from public administrations that consistently demonstrate their commitment to making Pantin the surfing capital: the Xunta, the Diputación of A Coruña, and the Concellos of Ferrol and Valdoviño.
Over the past month, Club Praia de Pantin SL has made over a hundred direct hires for the event setup and installation. This process began fifteen days before the competition’s start, creating a mini-surf city in O Rodo, Ariño. It occupies an area of over 6,000 square meters, featuring a 10×6 meter stage for live music, distinct spaces in dozens of wooden-clad jaimas for riders, 14 food trucks, an official store, VIP area, two chill-out zones, ten stands, multiple information points, a clinic, seating, terraces, a competitor’s area, bars, a main bar, play area, and skatepark. Direct contracts cover assembly and disassembly, surveillance and security, the official store, maintenance, parking control, tourist information, and assistance to riders during competition.
Indirectly, the event generates over five hundred additional jobs through participating companies and sponsors. These actions and spaces promoted by Abanca, Estrella Galicia, Cabreiroá, Vithas, Gadisa, Parque Ferrol, Galicia Calidade, Xacobeo, Tag Hauer, and Joyería Jael have led to approximately 50 more contracts in sectors like catering and services, adding over fifty more seasonal jobs tied to the competition. Additionally, induced employment occurs in suppliers, provisioning, logistics, PantinSound, and associated transportation.
According to Booking, a major global accommodation search platform, 90% of available spots in Valdoviño are booked during the competition days. Occupancy in Ferrol for the same period (from August 30th to September 3rd) surpasses 85%, and in Cedeira, it’s at 88%.
A study conducted by Avivae Soluciones Estratégicas for the Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Ría estimated that the event contributes around 10 million euros annually to the local economy. This figure encompasses visitor expenditures on lodging, meals, transportation, and other services during the championship days.
