Dark sky tourism is a booming business

For many of the world’s 4 billion city dwellers, travel is no longer just about beaches, food, or landmarks. it’s about something they can’t find at home: real darkness.

As city lights brighten the night sky, stars are fading from view. In response, a new travel trend called dark sky tourism (astrotourism) is booming. It’s already a roughly $10 billion industry and could double by 2035, according to Outside Magazine. The idea is simple: go where the lights don’t go, and rediscover the universe.

Instead of sightseeing by day, travelers are now booking trips to literally look up at night. In Nevada, visitors hop on late-night desert routes where the sky opens up into a glittering show of stars, meteor showers, and the Milky Way stretching overhead like a glowing river. In northern Norway, travelers head above the Arctic Circle hoping for the ultimate natural performance: the swirling green and purple glow of the Northern Lights.

And it’s not just about staring upward; it’s becoming an experience. Stargazing tours now come with telescopes, astronomy guides, and storytelling under the stars. Some even include Champagne, because apparently the universe pairs well with sparkling wine.

Hotels are getting in on it too. Some now advertise “darkness” like it’s a luxury spa treatment. In places like Iceland and the Maldives, you’ll find glass-roof rooms for bedtime stargazing, private observatories, and resident “sky gurus” who basically serve as tour guides for the universe.

It’s a funny twist on modern travel: in a world that’s always connected and brightly lit, people are paying to go somewhere that feels ancient, quiet, and completely unplugged.

In short, the hottest new luxury isn’t Wi-Fi, infinity pools, or room service, it’s finally seeing the stars again.
Lana Backman