As the name suggests, Astro-tourism is a combination of astronomy with tourism, which essentially allows tourists to partake in stargazing activities under skies that are light pollution-free. But why is it the ‘new thing’? According to the co-founder and CEO of Confirmtkt, Dinesh Kumar Kotha the mixture of tourism and science has piqued the interest of travelers from all over the globe. 2017’s Total Solar Eclipse witnessed the participation of 7 million people, which projected the emergence of this sub-section in tourism.
Astro-tourism aims to bring travelers to remote communities and explore the untapped potential of rural villages through sky-watching and stargazing activities. It has been driven by the recent initiatives of the Ministry of Tourism as part of the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ series. With joint efforts from the State and Union, several rural hotspots have been marked as locations for Astro-tourism in India.
One such location is Uttarakhand’s Benital Astro-village. Located about 2,600 meters high against the backdrop of the snow-covered Himalayas and surrounded by alpine forests, Benital is set to be one of India’s first Astro-villages. Apart from this, Astro-parks are being developed in Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, and Jaipur as well. Furthermore, the Ladakh administration has also launched initiatives to promote Astro-tourism in the Hanle village in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
This new wave of Astro-tourism is set to turn a new leaf in India’s tourism industry. The undiscovered and hidden gems of India, coupled with the excitement of stargazing and experiential science activities, are what one can expect from Astro-tourism in the coming days.
