Whalewatching Growth And Socioeconomic Development Of Communities In The Machalilla National Park – Ecuador
Year
2015
Secondary title
Document presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission
Pages
13
Keywords
community, economic impact, tourism, whale watching
Abstract
Whalewatching is one of the fastest growing tourism industries in the world. In 1998, this industry was estimated to be worth US$1 billion worldwide, and it continues to grow at a 12.1% rate per annunm. In 2008 Latin America whale tourism was estimated 886,000 people went whalewatching resulting in US$278 million in direct and indirect expenditures (Hoyt & Iñiguez, 2008). Ecuador is among the top five countries involved in whalewatching in Latin America (Hoyt & Iñiguez, 2008). MNP supports a growing whalewatching industry that focuses on the Southern Hemisphere humpback whale population. La Isla de La Plata was the first whale-watching site in Ecuador.
