Sustainable Tourism, Social and Institutional Innovation—The Paradox of Dark Sky in Astrotourism

Abstract

Astrotourism is an emerging type of sustainable tourism based on the observation of the dark sky, free of light pollution, and of all the experiences that have developed around it. The views and perceptions of the main social actors and their constellations and interactions are considered. Both the public decision-makers concerning astrotourism and the civil society involved were analysed in this research through a case study in Aragon, an inland Spanish region. New institutionalism in sociology based on the actors provides a coherent structural framework and explanation of the most relevant aspects in astrotourism in Aragon as well as help to understand the social and institutional innovation, in the sense that civil society has organised itself for many years to show and bring astronomy closer to the social majority; in light of this social reality, institutions have had to respond appropriately, taking and allowing for the participation of astronomical associations, in order to develop tourist experiences in relation to the appropriate dissemination of this science. Even more so, we studied the socioeconomic dynamics and territorial impacts. Thanks to the application of a qualitative method, specifically, semi-structured interviews with relevant informants in the territory, we discovered a hidden relevant social situation around astrotourism. Is the so called “paradox of dark sky” that emerges in communities where social welfare gains such as widespread access to artificial light are jeopardised by a new collective approach to artificial light control and light pollution that prevents high-impact emotional experiences around the dark sky, but takes into account that astrotourism is an opportunity for the endogenous and sustainable socioeconomic development of these forgotten areas.