Whale Watching Worldwide

Main species: Large cetaceans:
sperm whale
Small cetaceans:
bottlenose dolphin, dusky dolphin, Hector’s
dolphin
Tourists:
International 80%
Domestic 20%
Types of tours: Boat‐based, short trips to nearby pods of
dolphins and whale habitat. Kaikoura
operators offer the only large cetacean
viewing in NZ to view sperm whales. Aerial
whale watching is also undertaken at
Kaikoura.
Average adult ticket price: $105
Estimated employment 441
Main whale watch season: Year‐round
Acknowledgements:
Special thanks to Rochelle Constantine (University of Auckland), Michael Donoghue, Andrew Baxter, and Steve Smith
from the Department of Conservation, Emmanuelle Martinez (Massey University), Michael Lück (Auckland University of
Technology and Journal of Tourism in Marine Environments), I‐Site Visitor Centres and operators from across New
Zealand including Jim Whitehorn of Dolphin Discoveries, Graeme Butler of the Tauranga Dolphin Company, Simon at
South Sea Vagabond, Dolphin Encounter and Whale Watch Kaikoura.
References:
Constantine, R, Bejder, L 2008 ‘Managing the Whale‐ and Dolphin‐watching Industry: Time for a Paradigm Shift’, In:
J.E.S. Higham and M. Lück (Eds). Marine Wildlife and Tourism Management: Insights from the Natural and Social
Sciences. Oxford, CABI International Publishing, pp. 321‐333.
Lusseau, D, Slooten, L & Currey, RJC 2006, ‘Unsustainable dolphin watching tourism in Fiordland, New Zealand’,
Tourism in Marine Environments, ed. 3, pp. 173–178.
Richter, C, Dawson, S & Slooten, E 2006, ‘Impacts of commercial whale watching on male sperm whales at Kaikoura,
New Zealand’, Marine Mammal Science, ed. 22, pp. 46–63.
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