Stargazing initiatives can have a big impact on local tourism and economies, the health of residents and visitors, and the environment.
Economic benefits
When areas invest in protecting night skies for the enjoyment of visitors and the local community, it often requires reducing light pollution. Light pollution largely comes from improperly directed lighting, which makes it unnecessary or inefficient. By making outdoor lighting more energy efficient, destinations have the chance to save anywhere from $2–10 billion annually.2
Health benefits
Artificial lighting at night can also suppress melatonin, which contributes to increased health risks. Melatonin induces sleep, boosts the immune system, lowers cholesterol, and helps the functioning of the thyroid, pancreas, ovaries, testes, and adrenal glands.3
Environmental benefits
Humans are not the only ones who benefit from dark skies; nearly half of all species on our planet are nocturnal.4 When stargazing programs are complemented by dark sky protection, they help owls, bats, migratory birds, salamanders, raccoons, and many more creatures.
DestinationiQ Results
Our dark sky tourism programs have reached millions of people and boosted destination visits across multiple campaigns. In the Colorado towns of Alamosa, Gunnison, and Montrose, there was an average year-to-year growth in travel spending of 35.1%.
In Utah, Beaver County’s Rugged Skies garnered over 20,000 page views in its five months of paid promotion. Additionally, the county continues to see a steady uptick in tourism and lodging tax revenue since the launch of the program.
