The 'Noctourism' Trend Is Redefining Travel in 2025—Here's What You Need to Know
'Because the night belongs to…'—well, sorry lovers. With noctourism (also called astrotourism) on meteoric rise, it may be time to tweak Patti Smith's classic rock ballad. In silent twinkles and glowing galaxies, dark skies are calling, and the night now belongs to travelers, who are increasingly following tourism's newest North Star.
'We've seen a significant uptick in night tourism, especially since the 2017 Great American total eclipse. Last year, that accelerated even more,' says Stephanie Vermillion, an astrotourism expert and author of 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Adventures After Dark.
As her book and her wide-ranging, past-my-bedtime adventures illustrate, night tourism encompasses more than just spotting the Big Dipper. People are traveling to hunt auroras, for example, or to swim in bioluminescent bays, or watch the synchronous arrival of thousands of nesting loggerheads in Panama. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I spent an evening at the Lāna'i Observatory, dumbfounded by the darkest, vastest obsidian sky and what looked like a universe of diamonds scattered against black velvet. (More on that in a minute).
I'm in good company when it comes to going dark. Booking.com named noctourism one of its top travel trends for 2025, noting that while some adventurers want to pursue nighttime activities like starbathing and constellation-seeking, others want to avoid rising daytime temps or book accommodations without lights to encourage less light pollution and preserve local flora and fauna.
The nocturnal travel industry sector, already accounting for $9.3 billion globally, anticipates a 10% growth rate again this year, on top of numbers that have soared since some 20 million people traveled to see the Great American Eclipse. That celestial moment, when we all put our wonky glasses on, gazed upward and collectively gawked at the once-in-a-lifetime solar peek-a-boo, was catalyzing, says Vermillion. 'There were so many people joining together, focused on one thing, all amplified by social media.'
Thanks to eclipse-induced piqued curiosity, plus more headlines about space missions, satellites, and new astrological discoveries, and with the expanding reach of organizations like DarkSky International, which advocates for reduced light pollution and certifies International Dark Sky Places—it all adds up to a heavenly moment for those with interstellar interests. And the hospitality industry is taking note.
In 2023, DarkSky International launched their DarkSky Approved Lodging program, with the glamping pioneers and outdoor hospitality pros at Under Canvas leading the way. Under Canvas's Lake Powell – Grand Staircase property became the world's first DarkSky-certified resort that year, and their tented portfolio adjacent to national parks across the U.S. now boasts five of DarkSky's seven certified U.S. properties.
On a visit to Moab last year, where the luxurious ULUM is Under Canvas's latest affiliate to be certified, I was wowed by the surrounding red-rock geologic wonders by day, but equally mesmerized by the unfathomably vast canopy of stars at night. I came for adventure—to hike through Canyonlands National Park and rock climb at Looking Glass arch, visible from my cushy tent—but it was the after-hours awe that has most stayed with me. Relaxing around ULUM's cozy firepits, toasting marshmallows for s'mores, and simply looking up, transported me to a profound place of serenity. I wasn't just sleeping under a swanky safari-like canvas, I was immersed under a canvas brushed broad with the Milky Way and shooting stars, and I came away with a new-found reverence for the universe's marvels.
'We call it star-bathing,' says Vermillion. 'That meditative aspect of just soaking it up and letting your mind wander.' She encourages people not to get caught up in trying to identify stars or constellations, or fret over equipment. An iPhone can suffice for beginner night photography and numerous stargazing apps offer ready guidance.
'People are looking for new experiences,' Vermillion adds, 'and being outside at night, whether looking at stars or doing other after-dark adventures, brings that. Your senses are heightened, you wonder 'what's that sound?' You become alert in a way that you're not during the day. Night tourism gives us this chance to connect to our primal being.' Plus, there are practical perks. If you're visiting Rome, for example, and opt for a Coliseum tour at night, it's cooler and less crowded, 'and it's a totally different experience after dark,' says Vermillion, now at work on her forthcoming book, Stargazing: an Astrotourist's Guide to North America.
While Utah's clear skies are stunning, there's nothing quite like being in the middle of the Pacific, on Hawaii's smallest and least-populated (and un-lit) island, to experience full cosmic jaw-drop. What's more, the sister Four Seasons properties on Lāna'i—Sensei Lāna'i and the Four Seasons Resort Lāna'i—have upped the ante by offering guests exclusive access to their high-tech Lāna'i Observatory featuring a PlaneWave 1 Meter Alt-Az Telescope.
'The Observatory has been open for three years now, and we're booked most every night,' says Isabel Campbell, a Lāna'i native and the observatory specialist. Having grown up on the quiet island, Campbell knew there was good stargazing, 'but until the astronomers who helped us install the telescope started gushing over our lack of light pollution, I never realized how good,' she says. Campbell leads the Observatory's Kilo Hōkū experience that explores Hawaiian ancestral mastery of celestial navigation through uncharted Polynesian waters. The night I visited, she was excited to show us Jupiter's moons and Orion's Nebula. I climbed up short stepladder and peeled my eye to the scope, and there I was: up close and personal with celestial objects and otherworldly astonishment.
'I love seeing people's reactions. I was ecstatic when we first opened, and I still get so giddy, and seeing other people have a similar experience is amazing. To think you're looking at something 32 million light years away, the remnants of a galaxy just like us—it blows your mind,' says Campbell. 'Having an observatory makes the world of astronomy way more accessible for people.' Which is what night tourism is all about—shedding light on the beautiful dark.
You Might Also Like
Spectacular Gifts for the Most Stylish Women in Your Life
16 Gorgeous Indoor Plants for Homes of All Sizes
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Shuttle service to the stadium: Fan info for the Club World Cup quarter-final against Real Madrid
The official BVB Fan Embassy in New York will serve as the central contact point for all Borussia fans on game day and will be open to welcome you both before and after the game. Admission is free of charge. Please note that admission is only for those aged 21 and over and that this is a public event with limited capacity. Fans under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a person who is at least 25 years old.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
In the idyllic Texas Hill Country, flash floods have long been a threat.
In a part of Texas where the American South gives way to the Southwest, the Hill Country rolls across a vast expanse of a vast state, with fields of lavender, vineyards, a constellation of rivers and lakes — and the many people who have been lured by its natural splendor and rustic vibe. But the flash floods that swept through Kerr County on Friday — and the warnings that more could come — were an abrupt and agonizing reminder of the peril that lurks behind the idyll. The region has also become known as 'Flash Flood Alley,' a recognition of a recurring threat that has taken lives and upended communities over the years. A propensity for high levels of rainfall combined with thin soil, exposed bedrock and steep terrain make it especially vulnerable. 'This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States,' the Kerr County judge, Rob Kelly, told reporters on Friday. 'We deal with floods on a regular basis.' At least 27 people were killed and many others remained missing after the Guadalupe River surged beyond its banks on Friday, in and around Kerrville, Texas, a city of about 25,000 people. The river rose nearly 30 feet in just an hour and a half. Longtime residents remember the Guadalupe River rising 29 feet one morning in 1987. Ten teenagers were killed after the bus they were in was swept away near Comfort, less than 20 miles from Kerrville. In Wimberley, a small city roughly 90 minutes east of Kerrville, 13 people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed and damaged in 2015 when the Blanco River rose nearly 30 feet within a couple of hours. Still, the region's appeal has only intensified. Subdivisions and housing developments have sprouted up as part of the explosive growth that has radiated out from the city of Austin in recent years. The region has long drawn retirees and others looking for a life that feels a tad more rural. The area is also a destination for camping, hiking, riding and other tourist activities. The attraction, in part, is an atmosphere that many regard as a quintessential vision of Texas, with dance halls playing a homegrown version of country music and easy access to nature and wide-open space. Kerr County, which has been devastated by the recent flooding, has been growing steadily in population. In Kerrville, the county seat, there are barbecue joints, taquerias, inns, shops and campgrounds, all set just off the winding banks of the Guadalupe River.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mass transit options to MetLife Stadium from New York City
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (PIX11) — The 80,000 capacity MetLife Stadium is known not only as the home for the New York Giants and Jets, but also as the go-to destination for dozens of concerts and events, including the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The stadium, however, sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey and driving may not always be an option, so below are some options for getting there by train or bus from New York City. Things To Do Around NYC Commuters heading to MetLife Stadium by train are advised to head to Penn Station and take any NJ Transit train to go to Secaucus Junction. At Secaucus Junction, visitors can hop on a direct shuttle train to the Meadowlands Rail Station. More Local News If the train is not an option, or for those who might simply prefer the bus, head to New York Port Authority Bus Terminal, where Coach USA provides express service. Commuters can take the 351 Meadowlands Express bus to the MetLife Sports Complex. For exact pick-up and drop-off locations as well as the bus schedule, click here. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
