Astrotourism: Stakeholders' views about a special interest tourism proposal in Tua Valley

Abstract

Astrotourism is part of the sustainable tourism prole of low-density territories, focused on the enhancement of the night sky. In the context of the global development trajectory of the Starlight
 ourist Destinations, it was intended to evaluate whether dierent regional stakeholders show interest
in this type of offer in the Tua Valley, with the purpose of developing astrotourism activities and contributing to the regional socioeconomic development. The results of the semi-structured interviews revealed that, despite initial lack of knowledge about the concepts of astrotourism and Starlight Tourist Destinations, stakeholders quickly understood and supported this dynamic as a development tool. This study has implications for the diversification and qualification of tourism offer, with positive impacts on regional development, impulse of economic activities and because of its innovative nature, it will allow to expand the approach of new scientific themes and the reinforcement of already existing ones, favouring the connection between education and the community, highlighting the emergence of new research areas and supporting the development of new courses and specializations.