Whale Watching Worldwide
Whale Watching Worldwide
Whale Watching Worldwide
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Sri Lanka<br />
Year Number of<br />
whale<br />
watchers<br />
AAGR Number of<br />
operators<br />
Direct<br />
expenditure<br />
Indirect<br />
expenditure<br />
Total<br />
expenditure<br />
1991 Minimal N/A Minimal N/A N/A N/A<br />
1994 Minimal N/A Minimal N/A N/A N/A<br />
1998 Minimal N/A Minimal N/A N/A N/A<br />
2008 620 9.5% 6 $20,200 $31,000 $51,200<br />
Capital City: Colombo<br />
<strong>Whale</strong> Watch Locations:<br />
01: Galle<br />
02: Kalpitiya<br />
03: Trincomalee<br />
Sri Lanka has around six tour companies and resorts that organise<br />
whale or dolphin watching, although most of this activity is minimal<br />
and irregular. In 2007‐2008, two prominent operators began<br />
running commercial whale watching tours, focusing on larger<br />
cetaceans, particularly blue and sperm whales. These trips are<br />
mainly run from the south of the country around Galle and Mirissa<br />
and cost around $140. Approximately 200 whale watchers undertook these trips this year and had good<br />
sightings in the December to April season. These trips used larger boats, with the ability to take whale<br />
watchers a considerable distance from shore. This was the first season for these trips and operators are<br />
predicting strong growth in demand for the tours.<br />
Other businesses and resorts run shorter dolphin watching trips, particularly off the coast of Kalpitiya and<br />
Trincomalee. Around 400 people enjoyed such trips in 2008, off Kalpitiya and operators are planning to<br />
expand. The trips cost an average of $10 for a couple of hours viewing. Operators claim to regularly see<br />
pods of up to 1,000 spinner dolphins about three to five kilometres from the shoreline. The season for these<br />
trips runs from October to April.<br />
Trips to see dolphins close to the coast attract mainly local clientele, around 80% being Sri Lankans, while<br />
the offshore dedicated pelagic whale watching trips tend to focus on the overseas markets.<br />
Main species: Large cetaceans:<br />
blue whale, sperm whale<br />
Small cetaceans:<br />
spinner dolphin<br />
Tourists:<br />
International 90% (offshore), 20% (closer trips)<br />
Domestic 10% (offshore), 80% (closer trips)<br />
Types of tours: Boat‐based, with some on larger, offshore<br />
vessels, and others running shorter trips<br />
within 5 km of the coast.<br />
Average adult ticket price: $10 for short trips, $130 for offshore trips<br />
Estimated employment<br />
8<br />
numbers:<br />
Main whale watch season: October to April<br />
152
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