Tourism bosses are hoping to build on the success of the Northumberland Dark Sky Park in bringing more astronmers to the North East.
Northumberland has the largest Dark Sky Park in Europe, with the massive area in the Northumberland National Park estimated to have brought £25m into the local economy and supporting around 450 jobs before the pandemic.
Now tourism bosses have worked with Newcastle branding agency Drummond Central to design a new logo for the Park, while an inaugural Northumberland Dark Sky Festival held last month introduced thousands of people to the area through a series of online events.
Maureen McAllister, acting director of visitor economy at Visit Northumberland, said: “Dark sky tourism continues to play an integral role in Northumberland’s tourism strategy. It’s been fantastic to see businesses collaborating to successfully deliver the first Northumberland Dark Sky Festival.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors back so they can experience our spectacular dark skies for themselves.”
Catherine Johns, CEO of Kielder Observatory, which attracts thousands of visitors a year to beautiful Kielder Water and Forest Park, said: “Like so many industries, tourism has been hit hard by the Covid pandemic.
“By working together, we see a real opportunity to grow Northumberland’s reputation as the best place in the country for astrotourism.”
Northumberland has a national reputation for the excellence of its dark skies, with large areas free of streetlights meaning that it is one of the best places in the 海角视频 for astronomers.
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As well as the Kielder observatory set up in 2008, smaller observatores have also been established in Wark, Twice Brewed and Stonehaugh, while hotels and other hospitality venues have tapped into astronomy as a new market.
Northumberland was granted Dark Sky Park status in 2013 and its first Dark Sky Festival held last month saw more than 4,600 people log on to 13 live streamed events.
Duncan Wise, visitor development and tourism officer for Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “During the pandemic we have all reconnected with nature whilst we stay at home and there’s a sense of humility about standing underneath a beautiful dark sky.
“By engaging with people online, more people have been able to experience Northumberland’s dark skies, many for the first time. As restrictions on movement start to ease, people will want to come and see themselves what Northumberland has to offer.
“We now have four observatories in and around our Dark Sky Park and we’re collaborating to support growth in our astrotourism offering. We look forward to welcoming people back for some unforgettable experiences.”