Within the scope of the World Summit, it is planned to create a World Astrotourism Network 

13-09-23

The participation of representatives from seven countries and the attendance of more than 5,000 people at the Vicuña 2023 Astrotourism Summit demonstrated the interest in nature, tourism and science in the region.   

Coquimbo, September 2023. Bringing together municipalities, local governments and international entities to work on Starlight certification is one of the conclusions reached at the First World Summit on Astrotourism Vicuña 2023.

"We have a responsibility to protect our skies in order to develop scientific, sustainable and sustainable tourism over time," said the mayor of Vicuña, Rafael Vera Castillo. 

The meeting brought together more than 40 exhibitors from seven countries around the world, five free satellite activities and more than 5,000 attendees. In addition, according to the organisers, the streaming transmission could reach more than one million views.  

"It was a huge challenge for all of us who work for astrotourism and astronomy, as highlighted by the UNWTO delegate for the Americas, Gustavo Santos," said Maximiliano Mauvecin, director of Glocal International Organization, and speaker at the Astrotourism and Sustainable Development panel.  

 "The great success of this summit is not only what the exhibitors have said and the international impact it has had, but also the Vicuña Call to Action, which is a living document signed by all those present, with a decalogue of good practices to continue promoting and encouraging astrotourism," said the president of the Global Institute for the Future of Tourism, Jorge Brown.  

The agreement was made during a visit to the Vera Rubin Observatory, owned by AURA and currently under construction on Cerro Pachón. 

"The World Astrotourism Summit was very ambitious in terms of the capacity of its speakers (...) what struck me most was that it combined science and knowledge very well with the economy and the tourism sector (...) If Chile is the country where world-class science is produced, then its astro-tourism must also be world-class", reasoned Francisco Javier Castillo, International Consultant from Spain.  

"This summit has marked a fundamental milestone for the formation of a Global Astrotourism Network, generating the exchange of skills and knowledge among its members. This summit has demonstrated that astrotourism is a virtuous combination of science and ancestral knowledge, and at the same time a powerful and promising economic activity. Vicuña has led this movement and with it has positioned itself on the global map thanks to this initiative," said Andrés Zurita, regional director of Corfo.   

Jaume León Andrés, Associate Director of Viajes Especializados ACAVE, Spain, said that the Summit "generated an important qualitative leap due to the quality of the speakers and the enthusiasm that the organisation has put into making the summit a success. I have learned a lot, and I have tried as far as possible to transmit what we think to the audience". 

Julio Bravo Lubini, Director of the Science, Education, Energy, Innovation and Astronomy Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked "Mayor Rafael Vera Castillo and all his team for putting Vicuña in a window to the world on astro-tourism and astronomy in general (...) it places the commune at the forefront of these issues worldwide". 

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