Destination Newfoundland recently announced a plan to direct public money into promoting the fast-growing travel niche of wildlife tourism. Because the province's rugged coastline already attracts millions of visitors each year, the agency is convinced that number will climb higher if it markets the region's marine wildlife, although the difficulty lies in deciding where those advertising dollars ought to be channelled. The agency's marketing lead, Sandra Hayes, says the plan, for now, is to sell the province as a premier destination for boat-based whale watching. "Whale watching lets visitors enjoy our marine life without disturbing it," says Hayes, "and because both large cruisers and small tour boats are highly marketable, our next step is deciding which to back."

Operator Marcus Doyle is making a push for the bulk of the funds to be channelled into established large-vessel tours like his own, Atlantic Cruisers, on the grounds that casual tourists have long been drawn to the big boats, where the sheltered decks and steady ride make for an easy outing. "These small-boat operators that have been popping up lately market themselves as more of an extreme adventure," says Doyle, "but a large cruiser offers an equally exhilarating, yet considerably less arduous, excursion that suits a broad demographic, including the older travellers who would rather not be jostled by the swells."