Akaroa Dolphins vs Dolphin Encounter:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins had more branded searches than Dolphin Encounter among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand. Akaroa Dolphins was estimated to have 1.9K branded searches compared to Dolphin Encounter’s 1.7K, and held a 13.7% Share of Search versus Dolphin Encounter’s 12.2%.
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Which is more popular in search, Akaroa Dolphins or Dolphin Encounter?
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 by month for Akaroa Dolphins, Dolphin Encounter. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Whale Watch Kaikoura | Akaroa Dolphins | Dolphin Encounter | Black Cat Cruises | Wings Over Whales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 62% | 14% | 14.9% | 7.3% | 1.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 62.2% | 11.7% | 18.3% | 6.3% | 1.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 56.5% | 15.5% | 19.9% | 6.7% | 1.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.4% | 13.2% | 17% | 10.7% | 1.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.7% | 12.8% | 20.1% | 8.4% | 2% |
| Mar 2026 | 60% | 11.3% | 21.6% | 4.8% | 2.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 60.4% | 13.9% | 18.1% | 6.2% | 1.5% |
| May 2026 | 63% | 14.4% | 15.3% | 5.3% | 1.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 67.3% | 14.7% | 10.9% | 5.6% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 61.7% | 20% | 9.3% | 7.4% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 63.4% | 13.7% | 12.2% | 9.3% | 1.5% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Akaroa Dolphins and Dolphin Encounter comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: Akaroa Dolphins took it in June 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand moved from 14% to 13.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.6K to 1.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Dolphin Encounter’s estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand moved from 14.9% to 12.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.9K to 1.7K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand whale and dolphin tours in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Dolphin Encounter gained estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 9.3% to 12.2%.
In August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins lost estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 20% to 13.7%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Akaroa Dolphins’ and Dolphin Encounter’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Akaroa Dolphins
5 branded search terms
- akaroa dolphins
- akaroa dolphins harbour nature cruise
- akaroa dolphins new zealand
- akaroadolphins
- akaroadolphins co nz
Dolphin Encounter
7 branded search terms
- dolphin encounter
- dolphin encounter near me
- dolphin encounter new zealand
- dolphin encounter nz
- dolphin encounter swim with dolphins
- dolphinencounter
- encounter kaikoura
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.