Whale Watching Worldwide

Belize
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1991 Minimal N/A Minimal Minimal Minimal Minimal
1994 262 N/A N/A $460,000 $40,000 $500,000
1998 339 6.6% N/A $433,000 $51,000 $484,000
2006 368 1% 1 $155,000 $39,000 $194,000
Capital City: Belmopan
Despite the presence of cetaceans along the country’s significant
barrier reef, there remains only a low level of whale watching in the
country.
One ecotourism operator in Belize has run educational trips that
include dolphin sightings since 1992. The multi‐day programmes
also include bird‐watching, snorkelling and hikes through the
tropical forest. Several other marine nature tour companies
encounter dolphins, but do not offer dedicated dolphin watching
trips.
The government is keen to promote eco‐tourism, and so there may yet be some further growth in whale
watch tourism in Belize.
Main species: Large cetaceans:
humpback whale, sperm whale
Small cetaceans
Atlantic spotted dolphin,
bottlenose dolphin, clymene dolphin
Tourists:
International 80%
Domestic 20%
Types of tours: Boat‐based dolphin watching
Average adult ticket price: $500 (for multi‐day ecotourism trips)
Estimated employment
4
numbers:
Main whale watch season: N/A
References:
Hoyt, E & Iñíguez, M 2008, ‘The State of Whale Watching in Latin America’, WDCS, Chippenham, UK; IFAW, Yarmouth
Port, USA; and Global Ocean, London, 60 pp..
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