Rising interest in astro-tourism According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) as nature-based tourism emerges strongly in a post-COVID-19 world, astro-tourism presents immense opportunities to create positive social, economic and conservation benefits.

WTTC describes astro-tourism as "a form of experiential tourism that encompasses travelling for astronomy related experiences – ranging from night-time star gazing in locations with access to dark skies, observatories or special events like solar eclipse or meteor showers".

McKinsey's 'Now boarding: Faces, places, and trends shaping tourism in 2024' report also identifies astro-tourism as a growing trend.

In the United States, California's Joshua Tree National Park is capitalising on growing interest from stargazers. It achieved International Dark Sky Park status in 2017 and its popularity as a stargazing destination is rising.

Joshua Tree welcomed 3.2 million visitors in 2023, an increase of more than 200,000 from the previous record set in 2021.

Destination NSW has compiled a guide to the seven best places to view the night sky in NSW. Learn more here.