Whale and dolphin-watching tourism: Opportunity for economic growth

Whale and dolphin watching tourism offers a great opportunity for combining environmental conservation and economic growth, thus creating a win-win situation, Director, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), Dr. Saman Kalegama told an international conference on 'Sustainable Whale and Dolphin Watching Tourism in IORA Region' organised by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), International Whaling Commission (IWC) and the Government of Australia last week in Colombo.

He said this tendency was observed in recent years, as many Indian Ocean rim countries witnessed significant growth in whale and dolphin-watching tourism. A good example is Sri Lanka. For a nation, which looks forward to bounce back after three decades of a costly war, an unprecedented growth in tourist arrivals has become a great blessing.

"Since 2010, Sri Lanka has recorded a growth of over 300 percent in the number of tourist arrivals. Whale and dolphin-watching tourism has emerged as a new attraction for an increasing number of tourists. Not only foreigners, but also local tourists who enjoy the benefits of economic revival and improved security," Dr Kalegama said.

IORA Member States in September 2013 adopted the Perth Principles - a declaration for peaceful, productive and sustainable use of the Indian Ocean and its resources.

These principles recognised the important contribution that marine life and ecosystems can provide for sustainable development across the region, helping improve the livelihoods of numerous people of the member states that depend on those resources.

"Nevertheless, achieving sustainable outcomes cannot be taken for granted and are not automatic. As well known, marine ecosystems and ocean life forms such as whales and dolphins are a part of the so-called global commons, which are actually open-access in nature.

"Open-access resources, unless managed with great care, are vulnerable to over-exploitation and succumb to pressure from human action. Hence, great care must be exercised in managing whale and dolphin watching tourism, if we are to achieve the desired sustainable outcome," Dr. Kalegama said.

In this backdrop, IORA must work together to ensure that growth in the tourism sector in socially, ecologically and economically sustainable in the long term to benefit all Member States.

Working together, the Member States can look at commercial and economic benefits that can be reaped by maintaining a sustainable tourism operation on the long run, incentives for conserving the marine biodiversity for future generations, opportunities to promote women's empowerment by developing women as industry leaders and champions of best practices, and educational, environmental, scientific and socioeconomic benefits.

He said a fruitful collaboration of all stakeholders from member States may help to build the profile of the Indian Ocean region as a major tourism destination for responsible whale and dolphin watching.