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Whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand:Which brands are most popular in search?

In August 2026, Whale Watch Kaikoura was the most searched among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, with an estimated 9K branded searches and 63.4% estimated Share of Search within this set.

Share of Search, August 2026
  1. Whale Watch Kaikoura63.4%
  2. Akaroa Dolphins13.7%
  3. Dolphin Encounter12.2%
  4. Black Cat Cruises9.3%
  5. Wings Over Whales1.5%

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Share of SearchLeaderboard

Compare the whale watching and dolphin tour operators visitors book in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, by month

Share of Search by month for Whale Watch Kaikoura, Akaroa Dolphins, Dolphin Encounter, Black Cat Cruises. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthWhale Watch KaikouraAkaroa DolphinsDolphin EncounterBlack Cat CruisesWings Over Whales
Oct 202562%14%14.9%7.3%1.8%
Nov 202562.2%11.7%18.3%6.3%1.5%
Dec 202556.5%15.5%19.9%6.7%1.4%
Jan 202657.4%13.2%17%10.7%1.7%
Feb 202656.7%12.8%20.1%8.4%2%
Mar 202660%11.3%21.6%4.8%2.2%
Apr 202660.4%13.9%18.1%6.2%1.5%
May 202663%14.4%15.3%5.3%1.9%
Jun 202667.3%14.7%10.9%5.6%1.6%
Jul 202661.7%20%9.3%7.4%1.7%
Aug 202663.4%13.7%12.2%9.3%1.5%
Sep 2026—————

This month’s ranking, August 2026

  1. 1.Whale Watch Kaikoura

    63.4%

    held 1st · 9K estimated branded searches · +19.7% vs prior month · +1.7 points

  2. 2.Akaroa Dolphins

    13.7%

    held 2nd · 1.9K estimated branded searches · -20.1% vs prior month · -6.3 points

  3. 3.Dolphin Encounter

    12.2%

    held 3rd · 1.7K estimated branded searches · +53.1% vs prior month · +2.9 points

  4. 4.Black Cat Cruises

    9.3%

    held 4th · 1.3K estimated branded searches · +46.7% vs prior month · +1.9 points

  5. 5.Wings Over Whales

    1.5%

    held 5th · 210 estimated branded searches · 0% vs prior month · -0.2 points

Compare search popularity between leading brands

Which brand is most popular in search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand?

In August 2026, Whale Watch Kaikoura was the most searched among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, with an estimated 9K branded searches and 63.4% estimated Share of Search within this set. Akaroa Dolphins is in 2nd place, 49.6 percentage points behind at 13.7% Share of Search.

New Zealand whale and dolphin tours, last 12 months ending September 2026
BrandShare of SearchPeakLowRank
Whale Watch Kaikoura62% → 63.4%67.3%Jun 202656.5%Dec 20251st
Akaroa Dolphins14% → 13.7%20%Jul 202611.3%Mar 20263rd → 2nd
Dolphin Encounter14.9% → 12.2%21.6%Mar 20269.3%Jul 20262nd → 3rd
Black Cat Cruises7.3% → 9.3%10.7%Jan 20264.8%Mar 20264th
Wings Over Whales1.8% → 1.5%2.2%Mar 20261.4%Dec 20255th

Each finding as a sentence

  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Whale Watch Kaikoura’s estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand increased from 62% to 63.4%.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Dolphin Encounter’s estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand decreased from 14.9% to 12.2%.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Black Cat Cruises’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand increased from 7.3% to 9.3%.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Whale Watch Kaikoura’s estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand peaked at 67.3% in June 2026 and was lowest at 56.5% in December 2025.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand peaked at 20% in July 2026 and was lowest at 11.3% in March 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Dolphin Encounter’s estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand peaked at 21.6% in March 2026 and was lowest at 9.3% in July 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Black Cat Cruises’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand peaked at 10.7% in January 2026 and was lowest at 4.8% in March 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins rose from 3rd to 2nd among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Dolphin Encounter fell from 2nd to 3rd among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Wings Over Whales held steady: its estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand whale and dolphin tours in August 2026?

  1. In August 2026, Dolphin Encounter gained estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 9.3% to 12.2%.

  2. In August 2026, Black Cat Cruises gained estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 7.4% to 9.3%.

  3. In August 2026, Whale Watch Kaikoura gained estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 61.7% to 63.4%.

  4. In August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins lost estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 20% to 13.7%.

  5. Estimated monthly branded searches for Wings Over Whales in New Zealand fell 56.3% over 11 measured months, from 480 to 210 in August 2026.

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