LETTER FROM THE EDITOR THE ASTROTOURISM TREND

The theme for this edition of African Science Stars is a special one; ‘Astro-tourism’ - in Africa specifically. There is so much on offer across the continent of Africa - in terms of Astro-tourism and we explore this diversity in this edition.

Much of our African landscape remains untouched and according to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDSA) amongst all the continents, Africa is the continent that has the greatest undeveloped dark-sky resources.

This, coupled with the good weather makes it the perfect location for looking up at the stars, without the artificial light population. On page 19, we look at what exactly light pollution is and why it is bad for our environment.

Our cover story (page 9) explores different activities that one can do when embarking on an Astro-tourism trip, from a trip to the planetarium to a stargazing safari. Then, on page 30, we look at specific destinations in Africa for you and/ or your family to travel to for stargazing, where you can see the Milky Way galaxy in all its glory.

Tourism across the world and in Africa specifically is a booming industry, about 10.4% of global GDP and 7% of Africa's GDP is driven by the tourism sector, according to the 2019 report by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

And with that, it also presents an opportunity, especially after the devastating effect COVID-19 had on the industry, for people to generate income, on page 32 we look at ‘Howto start an Astro-tourism business’, for those interested.

Last, but not least, we briefly look at the highlights of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) conference, that took place in March 2023 at the Witwatersrand University (Johannesburg South Africa), Origin Centre, on page 16. The conference showcased many interesting and informative talks about science and outreach and aimed to create a dialogue and collaborations in the field of astronomy, both on the continent and internationally. Excitingly, the next conference will be taking place in Morocco in 2024.

If you are an outdoors person and you enjoy exploring, this edition is for you. I hope that you enjoy it, as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Nadine Sims Editor, African Science Stars