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visitors can be accommodated before and after trips. The current permit holder operator was situated
at one of the larger launch sites and ski-boat clubs in the region, Shelly Beach, and benefited from
better facilities. It was noted, however, that some difficulties were experienced with gaining
permission and access to operate from the launch area due to local regulations on the users of such
areas. This however has since been resolved but advertising and other facilities are still minimal. All
boats in operations in the region are used throughout the year for various uses, primarily fishing
charters, and the dependence of any one operator on boat-based whale watching is small.
Trip characteristics
Pleasure trips were set around R150 per person for most operators, though varied according to
occupancy. These appeared to be shorter 1hr trips along the coastline to view local landmarks,
dolphins and when in season, whales. The majority of non-permitted trips focused on viewing general
scenery and just “being out on the water” and were aimed at family groups. The level of guiding
appeared to be low with most operators lacking much experience with dealing with pleasure tripping
tourists. The permit holder, however, offered longer trips, around 2hrs and offered a more
educational trip. Nevertheles, it was noted that most clients were mostly interested in just getting out
on to the sea and were often more interested in seeing dolphins than whales. This was supported by
all the non-permitted operators interviewed.
Seasonality and demand
Demand for a specialised boat-based whale watching operator appears low in the area, largely due to
the nature of the local tourism market based on high quantity South African visitors with a lower
willingness to spend than in other regions. The peak demands for trips were generally
December/January, March/April, June/July and October - all corresponding with local school holidays
and reinforcing the dependence of the region’s tourism on seasonal domestic visitors. Only the
Jun/July season corresponded with any demand in whale-viewing. The season was described as
June to November in Area 21. Current demand appears more towards general pleasure trips and
dolphin viewing, though it is likely that as awareness grows among visitors whale watching demand is
likely to increase.
Perceived trends and opportunities
This region is a well known family holiday destination in KZN, frequented mostly by South Africans
and has a low level of tourism. The awareness of whale watching is low but growing and is intricately
tied in the short-term with generalised pleasure boat trips. The client base has more domestic tourists
than in other areas. It is unlikely that the region can currently support a conventional boat-based
whale watching operator based on basic viewing trips alone. This is reflected in the permit holder
offering some of the lowest per person prices for whale watching in the country and at the same time
expanding and shifting operations into an adventure tourism market aimed at joyrides in the surf-zone
linked to some whale viewing.
6.4.2 Durban Metro and Dolphin Coast (Area 22; Permits: 0 of 1)
These two regions are discussed together as they fall inside one designated whale watching area,
Area 22, which extends through the Durban Metro region to the Thukela River mouth which is the
northern most boundary of the Dolphin Coast region. After the Cape Metro region, this region
included the largest urban centre in the boat-based whale watching areas, Durban (DEAT 1999). The
city is well known as a tourism destination, nationally and internationally and supports a well
developed harbour and mooring facilities. Tourist sites and harbour facilities become increasingly
sporadic further north in Area 22 but continue to undergo a high growth linked to their high perceived
potential and proximity to Durban. Operators in the area do, however, note that whales occur further
offshore than in other areas. Some ascribe this to boat traffic, but the shape of the continental shelf
north of Durban is probably the main influence. North of Durban, marine-mammal-viewing tourism is
dominated by resident dolphin pods which are commonly sighted.
Permitted activity
There is no permit holder in this area at present. The Natal Sharks Board originally held a permit but
failed to renew it after the official gazetting of areas in 2001, as there were no perceived benefits from
it at that stage. The permit was subsequently taken up by H2O Adventure Tours, but no trips were
recorded and the permit was withdrawn by MCM by 2004 due to lack of activity.
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