In 1991, only 31 countries were involved in whale watching. At the same time, the number of whale watchers has increased from a little more than 4 million for the year 1991, and 5.4 million for the year 1994, to 9 million in 1998. As a further measure of its prevalence, whale watching is now carried on in some 492 communities around the world nearly 200 more than in 1994. In many places, whale watching provides valuable, sometimes crucial income to a community, with the creation of new jobs and businesses. It helps foster an appreciation of the importance of marine conservation, and provides a ready platform for researchers wanting to study cetaceans or the marine environment.
Whale watching offers communities a sense of identity and considerable pride.
In a number of places, it does all of the above, literally transforming a community. This report covers watching of all cetaceans, not just large whales. Of the some 87 countries and overseas territories or dependencies with some level of commercial whale watching, the breakdown is 66 independent countries and 21 overseas territories or dependencies, including Antarctica. Canada is the main country outside of the IWC where whale watching occurs, with a little more than one million whale watchers in 1998. In 1994, only one country, the United States, could claim more than a million whale watchers.