one of the most successful and resilient types of tourism in the world offering economic returns and solid community, educational, research and conservation benefits. Since the late 1980s, whale watching has grown rapidly with 12 percent annual growth through most of the 1990s—a rate 3-4 times the growth rate of overall tourism. Moreover, whale watching has transformed hundreds of communities around the world in some 119 countries and overseas territories. Whale watching has shown resilience to economic and political instability, an ability to attract foreign visitors from distant locales, and a surprising adaptability to widely varying cultures and infrastructure levels. Much of this success can be put down to the charismatic power of whales, dolphins and porpoises.”

Excerpted from Whale Watching Blueprint – I. Setting up a marine ecotourism operation (2012). Kindle ebook available Apr. 2012 through all Amazon websites.