Stars, Stories, and Sustainability: Unlocking Astro Tourism in Southern Africa

LLong before the term ‘Astro Tourism’ entered the global travel lexicon, African communities had been reading the stars, mapping the skies, and using celestial knowledge to guide agriculture, rituals, and movement. Today, that deep-rooted relationship between humanity and the cosmos is being reawakened, this time as a powerful lever for tourism, education, and sustainable economic growth.

At a standout session held on Day 3 of Africa’s Travel Indaba, a diverse panel of scientists, tourism experts, and government officials unpacked the untapped potential of Astro Tourism, also known as ‘dark sky tourism’, as a uniquely African offer to the world.

Moderated by Dr Laeticia Jacobs, the session brought together Dr Kenneth Hlela, Managing Director of Gemini Destination Advisory & Consulting; Dr Sisco Auala, Senior Researcher at Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST); Audrey Dikgale, Deputy Director for Multiwavelength Astronomy at the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation; and Johann van Schalkwyk, Director of Tourism Development at the Northern Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

‘Astro Tourism is not new to us. Our ancestors were the first astronomers,’ said Dr Sisco Auala, pointing to Namibia’s indigenous Himba people who still use the stars to predict weather and track time. ‘We must stop treating our knowledge as folklore. The sky is a heritage space, and dark skies are part of that heritage. This isn’t just storytelling, it’s knowledge that has value, and it must be protected and commercialised responsibly.’

With the theme for Indaba 2025 being ‘Unlimited Africa’, Dr Auala said astro tourism offers a practical response to that call: ‘It challenges us to reimagine how we package tourism and our heritage. It’s time to move beyond entertainment and use tourism as a vehicle for education, pride, and sustainable development.’

Indeed, Namibia and South Africa are at the centre of global astronomical exploration. The Northern Cape, in particular, is home to some of the world’s most significant infrastructure: the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), the largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, and MeerKAT, a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), one of the world’s largest and most ambitious radio telescope projects. These facilities sit under some of the clearest and darkest skies on Earth.

‘Our slogan in the Northern Cape is ‘Nowhere Else on Earth,’ and we mean it,’ said Johann van Schalkwyk. ‘We sit right in the middle of the Milky Way. On a moonless night, the starlight is bright enough to see your way. The Khoi used these stars to guide their seasons, their crops, their journeys. That legacy continues today.’

But Astro Tourism is not just about infrastructure and stargazing. It is about community involvement, education, and a shift in how the sector views value creation.

‘We have a knowledge mine ready to be mined,’ said Dr Auala, ‘but it must be mined ethically, with communities as co-creators. It’s not just about tourists coming to see us dance. It’s about knowledge centres, learning spaces, and recognising that we hold something valuable.’

Dr Kenneth Hlela added a business lens to the discussion: ‘Tourists today are conscious of how their money benefits communities. That’s where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles come in. Communities must see themselves as businesses, understand their value, and actively shape what can be commercialised. Government must invest in infrastructure that enables this kind of tourism, and private companies will follow.’

Audrey Dikgale brought in a critical scientific perspective: ‘We’re not talking astrology, we’re talking astronomy, the science of understanding the universe. But even science must be protected. Light pollution is a growing threat to dark sky tourism. We’re working with stakeholders to educate the public on how excess lighting interferes with astronomical observation. Our skies are a resource, and we must preserve them.’

She also highlighted the socio-economic potential: ‘We now have more than 300 astronomers and growing opportunities for youth in data science, tech, and trade, all linked to astronomy. This is part of our drive to make South Africa and Africa globally competitive in space sciences.’

Importantly, Astro Tourism is a regional opportunity. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through only four African countries, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique, creating exclusive opportunities for stargazing experiences tied to geography, science, and indigenous heritage.

‘We already have an Astro Tourism strategy in place,’ said Van Schalkwyk, ‘and we’re implementing it, working with SANParks and the tourism value chain to create routes, train unemployed youth, and align with SANBI and South African Tourism.’

As one of the audience members aptly summed up the discussion: ‘Africa is the cradle of humankind, and also the cradle of astronomy. The world is looking to us, and we must respond not just with beauty, but with value. Let’s do tourism differently, tourism that educates, inspires, and uplifts.’