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Agritourism Trend Watch: Astrotourism

Farmers and agritourism operators with dark skies can diversify their offerings and increase revenue by providing astrotourism opportunities.

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Updated:

January 5, 2026

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Night sky with stars and tent with light. Image credit: Unsplash/pablo-garcia-saldana

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We have increasingly seen farms offering opportunities for stargazing on farm stay platforms. According to NPR (2016), a mere 1% of the population in the United States is privileged enough to witness night skies without light pollution. People interested in stargazing typically have to travel, sometimes very far. The best astrotourism landscapes are those with dark sky areas and minimal to no light pollution. Open fields in remote rural areas and mountain locations are ideal astrotourism destinations as they offer clear views of the night sky undisturbed by artificial light sources. For landowners of a property with dark skies, astrotourism can be an opportunity to diversify offerings and increase revenue.

Who are astrotourists?

Generally, tourists attracted to astrotourism can be divided into two primary categories: amateur astronomers and everyday people. Understanding what captures the attention of your visitors is essential in developing a product or service to cater to them. Motivations of visitors can range from astrophotography enthusiasts, "skyholic" tourists (travelers intending to witness the purest and most luminous skies), those seeking tranquility and untouched locations, to those looking to bond with like-minded individuals and explore the skies and sky-related activities (Hernandez et al., 2020).

Opportunities

If you already offer farm stays on your property, you can start by advertising stargazing opportunities. Ideally, you would show some starry night pictures with your advertisement. Most operators provide a list of equipment to bring for the experience, such as a flashlight with a red filter (to preserve night vision) and binoculars. Visitors can also be encouraged to download a star-gazing app. If you have the funds and see an opportunity to attract the 'incidental' stargazing visitors, you can also purchase equipment and rent it to your guests. It is recommended that visitors sign an agreement that they have received the equipment and that it will be handled with care (Hernandez et al., 2020).

If you are interested in offering overnight stays for stargazing visitors, even if you do not have rooms in a farmhouse, you can provide low infrastructure or "niche" farm stays by offering camp or RV sites. The webinar Offering Niche Farm Stays shares more information on these types of farm stays.

Other options to get involved in astrotourism include partnering with local organizations to host public educational astrotourism events such as stargazing parties, guided walks through your property, and talks by astronomers. Collaborating with local hotels and your local or regional Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) can help advertise these events on your farm.