Welcome to ‘Noctourism’: why stargazing travel is on the rise
In today’s world, where the nights are so hyper-urbanized, the twinkling stars, which were once in their numbers the blankets of the night sky, are becoming ever harder to see. The wonders of the heavens that once inspired ancient civilizations as well as modern astronomers have become obscured due to light pollution. Out of this has come a new and rapidly expanding travel trend called noctourism , whereby the enjoyment of natural dark skies, stargazing and astronomy are the focus of the trip. Noctourism is an emerging beacon that is attracting increasingly people, who are looking for meaningful and tranquil travel experiences. The Allure of Dark Skies All human beings across cultures and generations have had a deep and almost spiritual fascination with the night sky. Watching a meteor shower, tracking the phases of the moon, lying even just under a blanket of stars, all do connect us to something greater than ourselves. Noctourism, as one meaning of travel at night, is lar...