Project N.º: P084523
Project Title: Dark Sky® Alqueva – Consolidation and Growth in the Post-Pandemic Period
Objective: The present project aims to strengthen and enhance the Dark Sky® Alqueva destination, highlighting the decisive role of the protected night sky as a strategic resource for the sustainable development of the territory. Internationally certified as a Starlight Tourism Destination, this destination encompasses eleven municipalities located around the Great Lake Alqueva and is today recognised as one of Europe’s leading territories in the preservation of the night sky.
In this context, the night sky represents the destination’s main distinctive resource. Its preservation, combined with the commitment to maintain near-zero levels of light pollution, enables the attraction of a national and international visitor profile with greater purchasing power, interested in authentic experiences and deeply connected to the appreciation of rural environments, nature and sustainability.
The protection of the night sky simultaneously contributes to strengthening the three pillars of sustainability environmental, social and economic, as well as the governance dimension, which plays a key role in the management and coordination of public and private policies related to the territory.
From an environmental perspective, the work of the Dark Sky® Alqueva Association has been particularly distinguished by its consistent efforts to combat light pollution, a growing phenomenon that significantly affects natural ecosystems. Excessive artificial lighting at night, often characterised by excessive intensity, poor luminaire orientation and inappropriate colour temperatures, causes significant impacts on both fauna and flora, altering natural behaviours, biological cycles and essential ecological processes. Numerous animal species are particularly sensitive to artificial light, and the disruptive effects are increasingly documented by the scientific community.
In addition to its environmental impacts, light pollution also has important social and public health implications. International scientific studies have shown that prolonged exposure to high-intensity artificial lighting at night can interfere with human biological rhythms and may be associated with several health issues. Among these, some research has identified correlations between light pollution and increased incidences of certain types of cancer, particularly breast and prostate cancer.
From an economic perspective, the efficient management of public lighting also represents a significant opportunity for territories. Currently, a large share of light pollution, estimated at around 90%, is associated with public lighting. In many municipalities, a considerable portion of the energy used is literally lost into the sky without any functional benefit. Unlike other types of waste, which can be recycled or reused, the energy wasted through light pollution is irretrievably lost.
Reducing this waste can generate significant savings in municipal budgets, resources that may subsequently be reinvested in improving the quality of life of local communities, supporting social policies, or enhancing the tourism destination itself. At the same time, the preservation of a high-quality night sky increases the destination’s international attractiveness within the astrotourism segment.
Astrotourism is a tourism segment experiencing significant growth worldwide and is characterised by attracting visitors with high purchasing power who are environmentally conscious and interested in distinctive experiences related to science, nature and heritage. It is predominantly a night-time activity which, by its very nature, generally requires at least one overnight stay in the destination, thereby increasing the length of stay and tourism expenditure within the territory.
Furthermore, the development of this segment contributes to diversifying tourism markets, reducing dependence on traditional markets that are often more price-sensitive and more likely to opt for alternative destinations. Creating tourism products capable of attracting new audiences with greater purchasing power strengthens the economic resilience of the destination and increases its international competitiveness.
Within the framework of paragraph 2 of Article 4 of the aforementioned legal instrument, this project falls within several tourism typologies, as it is aimed at the integrated development of a tourism destination. Nevertheless, it should be noted that its primary typology is scientific tourism, given that astrotourism results from the combination of tourism and science, promoting the observation and interpretation of the night sky based on scientific knowledge.
At the same time, the Dark Sky® Alqueva territory also fits within nature tourism, due to its strong connection with the region’s rural landscapes and preserved ecosystems. Owing to the presence of the Great Lake Alqueva, the destination also includes components of nautical tourism, with various activities developed around the lake, including innovative experiences such as night canoeing, which combines contact with the water with the contemplation of the starry sky.
Finally, the territory also presents connections to industrial tourism, resulting from the presence of elements such as quarries, mines and other landscapes shaped by human activity. These spaces, often characterised by rugged and distinctive scenery, gain a new aesthetic and interpretative dimension when observed under the protected night sky, becoming privileged settings for distinctive tourism experiences.
Beneficiary: Dark Sky Association
Approval Date: 18 / 09 / 2024
Start Date: 01 / 09 / 2024
Completion Date: 31 / 03 / 2026
Eligible Investment: €484,900.00
