Way of the Stars

segmentation for Astrotourism

Abstract

Astronomy has always been present in human life since ancient times. Nowadays, star observation can be related to leisure, and when applied to tourism, this activity is called Astrotourism or Astronomical Tourism and can be linked to different tourist segments, based on the activities it encompasses. It goes beyond a form of education in a non-formal setting; it involves traveling to see the stars or some specific phenomenon. This research aims to identify the different scientific approaches to Astrotourism. To achieve this, publications on the topic from Brazil, Chile and Spain were reviewed, analyzing them to identify segments associated with the activity. The research also aimed to understand the segmentation criteria applied to Astrotourism and to list the places of great importance to Astronomy and that offers Astrotourism activities. To achieve these objectives, an exploratory study was conducted across several databases (such as Oasisbr, CAPES Periodical Portal, Biblioteca Electrónica de Información Ceientifica, Dialnet and Scielo Brazil, Chile and Spain), focusing on the term Astrotourism, in order to identify the characteristics attributed to this type of tourism and its associated segmentations. Following the methodology of exploratory research, it was possible to identify some of the segmentations related to this activity, given the vast possibilities of segmentations, such as Ecotourism, Rural Tourism, Scientific Tourism, Cultural Tourism, among others. Sustainable Tourism appeared most frequently, and many authors define this as a niche of its own, without a specific ties to other segments.Therefore, a more in-depth study is suggested, and even the possibility of defining it as its own segment.