Whale Watching Worldwide

Main species: Large cetaceans:
sperm whale (north west of Crete)
Tourists:
International
Domestic
Small cetaceans:
bottlenose dolphin, short‐beaked common
dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, Risso's
dolphin, striped dolphin
70%
30%
Types of tours: Boat‐based, multiple‐day trip, opportunistic,
dedicated, short excursion trips, research trip
Average adult ticket price: $22.50 (3 hour trip)
$900 (6 day trip)
Estimated employment
10
numbers:
Main whale watch season: April to September
Acknowledgements:
Alexandros Frantzis of Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute
Greenland
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1991 Minimal N/A N/A Minimal Minimal Minimal
1994 100 N/A N/A $16,000 $41,000 $57,000
1998 2,500 124% 8 $832,000 $1,918,000 $2,750,000
2007 3,250 2.9% 10 $313,500 $646,700 $960,200
Capital City: Nuuk
Whale Watch Locations:
01: Ilulissat
02: Qeqertarsuaq
03: Sisimiut
04: Nanortalik
05: Tasiilaq
Like tourism in Greenland overall, the number of whale watch
tourists has increased steadily since 1998. Overall inbound tourism
has grown at a rate of 3.8% per annum to a total of 33,100 in 2005,
mirroring the growth in whale watchers, the number of which has
risen to 3,250 at 2.9% per annum.
In Greenland, whale watching tours are promoted by, and can be arranged through, local tourism offices.
They are usually combined with other nature cruises. Most of the activity is concentrated in the Disko
region on the country’s central west coast, with trips departing from Ilulissat, Qeqertarsuaq, Qasigiannguit,
Aasiaat, Uummannaq and Kangaatsiaq.
93