Whale Watching Worldwide
Whale Watching Worldwide
Whale Watching Worldwide
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Gibraltar<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 2,500 N/A N/A $52,000 $128,000 $180,000<br />
1994 10,000 58% N/A $243,000 $607,000 $850,000<br />
1998 18,750 17% 5 $450,000 $2,250,000 $2,700,000<br />
2008 35,371 6.6% 8 $834,077 $1,664,551 $2,498,628<br />
Capital City: Gibraltar<br />
The British overseas territory of Gibraltar has a whale and dolphin<br />
watching industry based around the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar<br />
and Algeciras Bay. In 2008, the territory attracted an estimated<br />
35,370 whale watchers, an increase of 6.5% per year since the last<br />
estimate made in 1998.<br />
A total of eight companies run whale watch operations in Gibraltar,<br />
seven of which can be classified as dedicated whale and dolphin<br />
watching operators. The industry focuses mainly on dolphin<br />
sightings, though two companies offer whale watch trips when<br />
whales are present in the Strait of Gibraltar. Tours run for approx 60‐90 minutes, costing on average $28 per<br />
adult and $16 per child. The activity is concentrated between April and November, with its peak in July and<br />
August. Some operators run business all year around, and are mostly patronised by Western Europeans.<br />
The main departure points for these activities are Marina Bay and Queensway Quay.<br />
The Bay of Gibraltar (or Algeciras Bay) is a breeding and nursery area for short‐beaked common dolphins,<br />
and striped and bottlenose dolphins are also sighted. Other whales seen include humpback whales, with<br />
occasional sightings of sperm, killer, false killer, minke and long‐finned pilot whales.<br />
Main species: Large cetaceans:<br />
fin whale, sperm whale<br />
Small cetaceans:<br />
bottlenose dolphin, short‐beaked common<br />
dolphin, striped dolphin, long‐finned pilot<br />
whale<br />
Tourists:<br />
International 10%<br />
Domestic 90% (most are British however considered<br />
domestic in this case)<br />
Types of tours: Boat‐based, half‐day trips, full‐day trips,<br />
dedicated, opportunistic.<br />
Average adult ticket price: $28<br />
Estimated employment<br />
42<br />
numbers:<br />
Main whale watch season: February to August<br />
91
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