“I wear many hats” is the surf park mantra for working people in our nascent space. Gabriel Tamaki, or “Gabby” as his associates call him, has worn many hats and, as such, has earned his crown as the quintessential surf park employee.
As anyone in the industry will tell you, there’s a sharp learning curve in the space. He’s been at Alaïa Bay for several years now, kicking off his stint as a surf coach in 2021.
“The first years were a huge learning experience. Everything was new, not just for me but for the whole team. We weren’t simply operating a surf park; we were helping introduce and grow surfing culture in a place where it had barely existed before,” said Gabby. “At the end of 2022, I had the opportunity to move into marketing, developing our lifestyle brand. Since I’d already worked in design and fashion marketing, it felt like a natural evolution while still keeping me connected to surfing.”
While it sounds easy, advancing up the wave pool job ladder, the surf-stoked Brazilian had to adapt to a very different environment. Helping push him to the change was his desire to experience his first real winter and trying his hand at snowboarding.
“Moving to Switzerland changed almost everything. New language, new culture, my first real winter, and suddenly I was living in the middle of the Alps instead of by the ocean. But the opportunity to be part of one of Europe’s first surf parks made that decision easy. I felt like I could help build something that didn’t exist yet.”
He had been following the budding (at the time) Wavegarden technology and he felt very excited to be part of something new. A strong work ethic and his dedication to Alaïa Bay led to other advances in his career.
“About a year and a half ago, I stepped into the role of Head of Marketing. Today my role sits at the intersection of brand, product and commercial strategy. The goal isn’t simply to promote Alaïa Bay. It’s to help the business grow while making sure our communication reflects the real experience people have here.”
Gabriel says that to meet this end, his team created destination products and later worked collaborations with brands such as RVCA, AXXE Wetsuits, and Yow Surfskates. He added that these projects help strengthen Alaïa Bay as a brand while completing the overall guest experience, giving visitors products that carry a genuine connection to their time at the Bay.
“I usually focus on three main areas. First, building a strong and clear brand. Second, driving demand: bringing the right customers through campaigns, content, and performance marketing. And third, making sure our product message is simple and easy to understand. A lot of what we do comes down to making surfing feel approachable without losing what makes it special. We work on building a strong brand, bringing new people into the sport, and making sure our products are easy to understand—whether someone has never surfed before or has been surfing for years.”
To execute these points, he spends a lot of his work hours engaged with athletes and influencers.
“The best stories are the ones we don’t script. Whether it’s an athlete pushing their limits or someone standing up on a surfboard for the very first time, those moments are genuine. That’s what people connect with. The content our guests create is just as valuable because it reflects the real experience of being here.”
From a strategic point of view, he likes to use data to understand what is working and what is not, and then proceed to improve it step by step.
“Good marketing starts with understanding people. At Alaïa Bay we welcome complete beginners alongside experienced surfers, so our challenge is to speak to both without losing authenticity. If we can make someone feel confident enough to catch their first wave—or inspire an experienced surfer to come back—that’s when we’ve done our job well.”
Gabriel concludes that his role in marketing at Alaïa Bay is not only to support the business, but also to help guide its direction and push it forward as the company evolves in the surf park space.
“We’re still in the early days of this industry. That’s what makes it exciting. Every season we’re learning, experimenting and refining what a surf park experience can be. I think that’s a privilege because very few people get the chance to help shape an industry while it’s still being built.”
