Astrotourism: Understanding Consumer Interest in Dark Sky Activities

Dark sky tourism refers to travel focused on stargazing, astrophotography, and astronomy-related activities. It takes advantage of locations with minimal light pollution that enable clear views of the night sky.

Western Australia (WA) has world-class dark skies and is working to develop dark sky tourism products and experiences. This article summarizes market research conducted by Tourism WA in collaboration with Astrotourism WA to inform the strategic development of WA as a dark sky tourism destination.

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Key Research Objectives

The research aimed to:

• Understand the potential market size for astrotourism
• Identify and profile key target segments
• Explore perceptions, motivations, and barriers related to dark sky tourism
• Uncover opportunities to grow engagement in dark sky tourism

Methodology

The research methodology included:

• An initial quantitative survey (n=751) of “astro enthusiasts” – those with high existing astronomy interest and knowledge
• Screening criteria to qualify astro enthusiasts
• Weighting data by age, gender, and region to reflect the broader population
• 15-minute online survey of astro enthusiasts focused on dark sky tourism

Key Findings

Awareness and Interest

• 40% of astro enthusiasts were familiar with the term “dark sky tourism”
• 54% expressed high interest in dark sky tourism activities
• Interest skewed higher among males, those aged 35-54, and families
• Main motivations included enjoying nature, relaxing, and having unique experiences

Perceptions

• Dark sky tourism seen as an enjoyable, affordable, and accessible experience
• Some concerns on lack of popularity and challenges accessing activities

Activities

• Highest interest in wildlife viewing, dining under the stars, observatories
• Significant gap between interest and recent engagement in dark sky activities
• Nature and astronomy-based activities appeal to overlapping segments

Travel Preferences

• Astro enthusiasts highly value opportunities to relax, explore, and try new things
• Most use hotels, motels, or vacation rentals when travelling regionally

Conclusions

• Strong underlying interest indicates potential to grow dark sky tourism
• Marketing should focus on males aged 35-54 and families
• Multi-faceted products can broaden appeal and increase frequency of engagement
• Passive marketing channels like social media are likely to have high impact

The research suggests WA has a compelling opportunity to develop its dark sky tourism offerings by leveraging its world-class night skies and this underlying consumer interest.