The island of Tabarca has obtained the certificate as “Paraje Starlight”. It is the first community in the province of Alicante to achieve this distinction, which certifies the quality of the sky for astronomical observation in order to develop astrotourism on the island.
The deputy mayor and head of the Alicante City & Beach Tourist Board, Mari Carmen Sánchez, presented the project this week at the Fitur tourism exposition.
“The natural wealth of Tabarca makes the island the ideal place to be declared a Starlight Site. This certification entails not only the quality of the sky for observation but also the commitment to preserve it in a sustainable way”, explained Sánchez. “The objective is to develop astrotourism here and help deseasonalise tourism on the island.”
The Starlight Foundation, created by the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and the Consultora Corporación 5, has as its mission the dissemination of astronomy and science, as well as the protection of starry skies through advice to minimise the impact of light pollution.
The certificates issued by the Starlight Foundation are endorsed by UNESCO and the Starlight project has the support of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the World Tourism Organisation.
The person in charge of delivering the certificate was the director of the Starlight Foundation, Antonia Varela.
Tabarca is the smallest inhabited island in Spain and was the first marine reserve of fishing interest to be declared such in the country. The Alicante City & Beach Tourist Board has taken into account its importance as a natural enclave to propose its study to the Starlight Foundation as a possible “Starlight Spot”, which it has finally obtained.
The idea is to develop and market tourist packages in the near future to enjoy the observation with transportation and accommodation on the island. In addition, educational and cultural actions linked to astronomy will be proposed.
The place chosen for the observation is known as “Punta Falcón” in the easternmost end of the island. From this point it is possible to enjoy the constellations during all seasons of the year. Thus, for example, you can see Orion, Taurus, Auriga and Gemini in winter, Lyra, Swan, Eagle, Scorpio and Sagittarius in summer, and every night of the year you can enjoy the circumpolar constellations.
Astrotourism is a form of sustainable and responsible tourism that combines observation of the night sky, dissemination and leisure activities related to astronomy, according to the Starlight Foundation. In the case of their sites and reserves, they must have the means to guarantee their protection, and also be places that can be visited, with the appropriate infrastructure and activities related to tourism.
