Whale Watching Worldwide

References:
Research for this country was taken from the Pacific Islands Whale Watch Tourism report undertaken by Economists at
Large for IFAW. 2005 data from that report have been projected forward to 2008 at an average annual growth rate of
2.4% based on UN World Tourism Organisation regional growth data.
Solomon Islands
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1991 None N/A None None None None
1994 None N/A None None None None
1998 Minimal N/A 1 Minimal Minimal Minimal
2005 500 14% 6 $36,250 $0 $36,250
2008 537 8% 66 6 $38,923 $0 $38,923
Capital City: Honiara
Like Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands is a region rich in
cetacean diversity and acts as an important migratory corridor as
well as a permanent habitat for both small and large cetaceans.
Although there are no dedicated whale watching operators in the
country, some dive operators view cetaceans opportunistically on
their trips with reasonably high sighting rates (up to 75% of trips).
It is estimated that in 2008, there were over 500 opportunistic
whale watchers – approximately 8% annual growth since 1998 67 .
Certain small cetacean species are abundant and traditional dolphin
hunts still occur in certain parts of the Solomons, with dolphin teeth traded as a substitute currency.
The country has had low visitation rates in recent years (around 6,000 in 2004, compared to pre‐1999 levels
of up to 16,000 68 ), largely as a result of civil unrest and political instability.
Main species: Small cetaceans:
Indo‐Pacific bottlenose dolphin, short‐beaked
common dolphin, false killer whale, melon‐
headed whale, orca, Risso’s dolphin, spinner
dolphin
Tourists:
International
Domestic
Types of tours: Boat‐based, opportunistic
Average adult ticket price: $72.50
Estimated employment
6
numbers:
Main whale watch season: Year‐round for dolphins, various for whales
66 AAGR from 1998 to 2008
67 Based on estimates of 250 whale watchers in 1998.
68 SPTO, ‘Tourism Sector Study – Solomons’, accessed June 2006, available online at: www.spto.org
195