Whale Watching Worldwide

Long‐standing and comparatively high prices in Japan mean that it is still the largest industry in Asia by total
revenue generated.
Summary of country results
Country Number of whale watchers Growth between
1998 and 2008
1998 2008 AAGR
Bangladesh None 25 N/A
Cambodia and Laos None 83,000 78.7%
China ‐ Hong Kong SAR 4,500 81,000 33.5%
China ‐ Mainland None 307,000 103.7%
China ‐ Taiwan 30,000 200,000 20.9%
Georgia, Ukraine – Black Sea Minimal Minimal N/A
India 30,000 112,900 16.3%
Indonesia 41,000 36,370 ‐1.2%
Japan 102,785 191,970 6.4%
Malaysia None 7,000 39.5%
Maldives 30 14,496 85.5%
Myanmar None 40 N/A
Nepal 150 125 ‐1.8%
Pakistan None 250 0%
Philippines 12,000 17,000 3.5%
Russia Minimal 1,285 17.8%
Sri Lanka None 620 9.5%
Thailand Minimal 2,700 26.9%
Turkey Minimal Minimal N/A
REGIONAL TOTAL 220,465 1,055,781 17.2%
NB: Where an industry had ‘None’ or ‘Minimal’ for whale watchers in 1998, a figure of 250 has been used to calculate
AAGR.
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