关键词: 暗夜星空旅游, 观星, 夜空, 天文旅游, 光污染

Abstract:

In recent years, the dark sky tourism market in China has been rapidly rising. However, little attention has been paid to this emerging type of tourism in domestic academia. In order to have a holistic understanding of international dark sky tourism development and research progress, this article employs the traditional literature analysis method to systematically sort out relevant studies published between 2001-2021. Based on the analysis of 62 English publications, results show that: (1) with the advancement of the global dark sky movement, the value of the starry dark sky for tourism has been utilised, and the dark sky programs for tourists have become mature in Western countries. (2) The empirical research on international dark sky tourism started in 2011, and the number of publications continues to grow. Qualitative and quantitative research has been developing simultaneously, but current research is mainly concentrated in developed countries and regions such as Europe and North America. (3) By analysing the umbrella concept of astro-tourism, this article has defined dark sky tourism and discussed its characteristics. (4) The progress of international dark sky tourism research mainly focuses on light pollution measurement and dark sky tourism development, multiple benefits of dark sky tourism development, dark sky tourism experience and its impact, and dark sky tourism destination development. For China's dark sky tourism stakeholders, the international research findings provide a certain theoretical basis for developing and managing this new type of tourism. At the same time, by learning international studies, domestic scholars are also encouraged to carry out specific empirical research in the Chinese dark sky tourism context, and then gradually establish the dialogue with Western dark sky tourism research.

Key words: dark sky tourism, stargazing, night sky, astro-tourism, light pollution