Whale Watching Worldwide

One whale watch operator has capitalised on the cruise market to St. Vincent up until 2006 by using a large
capacity boat for up to 65 people at a time. The other operator, having smaller boats, has been more
successful with the hotel market. The focus on the cruise market has resulted in excellent growth with an
estimated 3 cruise passengers for every 1 hotel guest, despite the decline in cruises last year. As for all
destinations, the cruise market brings in low per person indirect expenditure so has a lower benefit to the St.
Vincent economy.
There is still plenty of room for growth for trips aimed at the cruise market if numbers return to the recent
highs. A possible difficulty for expanding out of the day trip market or to other islands may arise from the
existence of small scale commercial whaling of short‐finned pilot whales and the allowance by the
International Whaling Commission of an indigenous hunt for four humpback whales each year by islanders
of Bequia, one from the Grenadines. However, a pro‐whaling stance has not prevented whale and dolphin
watching industries developing in Japan, Norway and Iceland.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to two operators.
Main species: Large cetaceans:
humpback whale, sperm whale
Small cetaceans:
spinner dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin,
bottlenose dolphin, Fraser’s dolphin
Tourists:
International 100%
Domestic
Types of tours: Short trips for hotel and cruises
Average ticket price: $30‐50 for day trips
Estimated employment
2
numbers:
Main whale watch season: October to May
References:
Hoyt, E 1999, The Potential of Whale Watching in the Caribbean: 1999+. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Bath,
UK, 81 pp.
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