More whale shark visitors
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:43 PM The whale shark tour industry in the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area has attracted a record number of visitors. Visitor statistics show nearly 17,500 passengers were transported to the Ningaloo Marine Park in the 2011 season, compared to 14,286 in 2010
That means a 22.4 per cent increase from 2010 and 130 per cent increase from the number of tour participants in 2006.
The total number of whale shark tours at Ningaloo in 2011 was 994 (up from 889 the previous year)
The whale shark watching season traditionally runs from early March to July/August each year.
The number of tours in 2011 increased by 11.8 per cent from the 2010 season and there was a similar rate of contact with whale sharks during the tours.
The increase in visitors swimming with the whale sharks is a reflection of highly successful cooperative marketing efforts in raising awareness of the Ningaloo region as an extraordinary holiday destination.