Astrotourism as Social Innovation for Peripheral Territories: Pathways for Sustainable Development Under Dark Skies

Elieber Mateus dos Santos (), Quésia Postigo Kamimura, Ademir Pereira dos Santos and Wagner José Corradi Barbosa
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Elieber Mateus dos Santos: National Laboratory of Astrophysics (LNA), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Rua Estados Unidos, 154-Bairro das Nações, Itajubá 37504-364, MG, Brazil
Quésia Postigo Kamimura: Doctoral Program in Regional Planning and Development, University of Taubaté (UNITAU), Rua 4 de Março, 432-Centro, Taubaté 12020-270, SP, Brazil
Ademir Pereira dos Santos: Doctoral Program in Regional Planning and Development, University of Taubaté (UNITAU), Rua 4 de Março, 432-Centro, Taubaté 12020-270, SP, Brazil
Wagner José Corradi Barbosa: National Laboratory of Astrophysics (LNA), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Rua Estados Unidos, 154-Bairro das Nações, Itajubá 37504-364, MG, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-25

Abstract: Astrotourism is gaining international recognition as a practice that integrates science, culture and sustainability, addressing global challenges such as light pollution and fostering inclusive local development. Although its environmental and economic impacts are widely acknowledged, its potential as a driver of social innovation remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how astrotourism activates social innovation across multiple governance scales. The objective is to identify the mechanisms, enabling conditions, and territorial arrangements through which astrotourism operates as social innovation in peripheral contexts. The research adopts a qualitative and exploratory approach, based on documentary and bibliographic analysis of four international cases: Alfa Aldea in Chile, Dark Sky Alqueva in Portugal, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival in Canada, and the National Astrotourism Strategy in South Africa. A comparative framework was applied to identify three recurrent dimensions of social innovation—social capital, redistribution of power, and collaborative responses to crises—drawing on both classical and contemporary literature. Findings show that, despite institutional and territorial differences, all four cases demonstrate the capacity of astrotourism to build trust networks, strengthen community protagonism, and generate adaptive responses to socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The study proposes an interpretive matrix that outlines pathways of social innovation, offering policymakers tools to design multi-scalar strategies that connect community initiatives with national frameworks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond astrotourism, the framework also provides insights for other sustainable tourism modalities based on natural and cultural heritage.

Keywords: astrotourism; social innovation; light pollution; sustainable development; territorial governance; SDGs; peripheral regions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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