Dark Sky® Association is awarded with THE BIZZ for its distinguished business excellence.

The Dark Sky® Association, located in Portugal, has achieved two recognitions in the same year of 2020, for its great performance and business leadership, THE BIZZ Award and THE PEAK OF SUCCESS Award. These recognitions will be granted on November 26, 2020 in the gala ceremony to be held at Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha and on May 28, 2021 at The Sheraton Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

 In previous editions, The BIZZ Awards were held in cities such as Houston, New York, Punta Cana, Panama, Cusco, Rome, Mumbai, Orlando, Barcelona, Miami/ Bahamas, Doha, Paris, Los Cabos, Dubai, Venice, Hawaii, Abu Dhabi, Athens, Las Vegas, Muscat, Washington and Monaco. 

WORLDCOB is a leading business organization located in Houston, Texas, that promotes the development and growth of more than 3,500 companies in over 120 countries and recognizes and boosts the growth of the outstanding companies and business people as well as promoting the corporate social responsibility. And it makes it through The BIZZ, an award that recognizes the business excellence. 

With this triumph, Dark Sky® Association becomes a member of WORLDCOB alongside large corporations. The recognition gained will allow growth at a business level because it increases the capacity for business relationship, generates more business and revitalizes the corporate image. Dark Sky® Association has been considered as a Platinum Member of WORLDCOB which will allow the generation of businesses among the members of WORLDCOB and promote the socially responsible corporate culture. 

The Dark Sky® Association is a pioneer in the development of astrotourism and created its first destination in 2007, Dark Sky® Alqueva. Dark Sky® Alqueva is the first Starlight Tourism Destination in the world and the first cross-border certified. Certified since 2011 by Starlight Foundation, this destination currently comprises of 10 municipalities in Portugal and 13 municipalities in Spain, in an area of almost 10.000 square kilometers. Dark Sky® Alqueva is an internationally awarded destination, having received the Ulysses Award – First Runner Up (UNWTO), the ETIS Award (European Commission), Europe’s Best Responsible Tourism Award 2019 (World Travel Awards) and Europe’s Leading Tourist Destination 2020 (Corporate Travel Awards).

 Since 2017, the network of destinations developed under this concept and brand has grown from one Dark Sky® to three Dark Sky® destinations. So, promoting the protection of the night sky through almost 13.000 square kilometers, Portugal now has Dark Sky® Alqueva, and in result of the partnership with ADXTUR and ADRVT, Dark Sky Aldeias do Xisto (Center of Portugal) and Dark Sky Vale do Tua (North of Portugal).