Astrotourism

The concept of astrotourism has expanded over the years, from dictionary definitions of “activities by tourists paying to travel into space for recreation” to “tourism using the natural resource of unpolluted night skies for astronomical, cultural, or environmental activities” (Fayos-Solà and Marín 2009: 7). Dark skies are becoming a scarce resource as night lighting and atmospheric pollution increase. Astrotourism opens new opportunities of bridging science and tourism, motivating alliances for starry nights, science, culture, and nature (Marín et al. 2011).

Associating nightscapes with heritage is a logical step in astrotourism. The night sky has played a key role in the development of civilization, including orientation and navigation, agriculture, calendars, cultural travel, and celebrations. The dawn of many cultures is marked by archeoastronomical milestones, witnessed at widespread sites, including Stonehenge, Chichen Itzá, Giza, Mesa Verde, Chankillo, Persepolis, Almendres,...