I have always had a fascination with the night sky. I remember seeing Halley’s Comet in 1986 and Comet Kohoutek in 1973. I have never seen the Northern Lights but hope to someday. Here in Florida, we are far from the Northern Lights. Light pollution hides most stars in the Tampa area, but I don’t have to travel far to see thousands of them.
Nearly two thirds of Americans live in areas where it’s difficult to see stars glimmering, and about one third of the world’s population miss out completely on the beauty of stargazing.
According to Booking.com, 2025 is set to be a mammoth year for “noctourism.” Noctourism is a travel trend that involves visiting destinations and attractions at night. According to astronomers, meteorologists and scientists, this year will see a peak in solar activity which will lead to more frequent and intense Northern Light spotting across the globe.
According to Booking.com’s Travel Predictions research, nighttime activities are on the rise with nearly two thirds of travelers (62 percent) considering visiting darker sky destinations with starbathing experiences (72 percent), star guides (59 percent), once in a lifetime cosmic events (59 percent), and constellation tracking (57 percent) topping the stellar adventure list.
Places to Stay for ‘Noctourists’
Booking.com recently issued a press release describing places to stay for “noctourists.” Countries such as Norway, Canada, Iceland and the United States were mentioned. In Sedona, Ariz., travelers were encouraged to take The Night Sky Star, Galaxy and Sedona Story Tour.
The northern lights tourism sector was estimated at $834.5 million in 2023, according to Grand View Research.
Like noctourism, astronomy tourism, or astrotourism, has seen great interest following the 2024 total solar eclipse over North America. Tours are currently selling out years in advance for future eclipses.
According to Travel Weekly, The Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland offers glass igloos for guests to observe the Northern Lights. DarkSky International, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting light pollution, has its own list of approved lodging for stargazing, including five Under Canvas locations in the United States.
One Example of Dark-Sky Tourism’s Impact
Missouri State University researchers found in 2019 that visitors to the Colorado Plateau—parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah—will spend an estimated $5.8 billion through 2029 on dark-sky tourism.
If your property is geographically disadvantaged to take advantage of the Northern Lights, noctourism may still be an option. Tourists are drawn to nocturnal wildlife tours, guided hikes, and “inside” planetarium experiences. If you are not sure if your property is in or close to a DarkSky place, click here. There are over 160,000 square kilometers of protected land and night skies in 22 countries on six continents. The International Dark Sky Places program certifies communities, parks, and protected areas around the world that preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education.
If you are not sure who to partner with, first try your nearest city, county, state or national park location. The Sky & Telescope website provides a list of local astronomy clubs, observatories, museums and planetariums. This year’s International Dark Sky Week is April 21 to 28.
Has your property partnered with a local business or organization to offer a dark sky package? I would love to learn about it. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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