During this month, the foundation was part of the group that brought together the municipality, the Regional Government, Sercotec, Corfo, and local tourism entrepreneurs of all levels. The objective of this table was to generate a roadmap to boost the development of astronomical tourism in localities of the commune.
For the total solar eclipse on July 2, 2019, which could be observed in the country, the Atacama Region was part of the 150 kilometers of the total darkness strip, and attracted thousands of tourists to the area. Only in the locality of Cachiyuyo –in the commune of Vallenar–, which has an approximate population of 200 people, more than ten thousand visitors were counted.
That day marked a significant milestone in the region and astronomical tourism was consolidated as a viable option for the development of this area, which houses the Las Campanas Observatory, La Silla, and where the Giant Magellan Telescope will soon operate. Meanwhile, in the commune of Vallenar, the care of dark skies and the promotion of astrotourism has become a main focus of the Municipality.
In this regard, the mayor of Vallenar, Armando Flores, highlights the quality of the dark skies that distinguish the commune and their relevance for the development of astrotourism. “We have a condition in our skies that is tremendously privileged, our commune of Vallenar is one of the four points on the planet with this condition of dark skies. Therefore, for us, it is a priority to safeguard this,” he explained.
He also emphasized that astrotourism represents a viable alternative for the development of the territory and the local economy, especially for sectors like Cachiyuyo, Incahuasi, Domeyko, and other interior valleys.
Lesly Meza, head of Productive Development of the I. Municipality of Vallenar, states that the main challenge for astrotourism in the commune is to respond to the high demand that has developed in recent years. “Public interest is increasing a lot, but as it becomes more massive, we are falling short with the equipment for tourism entrepreneurs and there are many people who have to wait a long time to access a service to observe the sky,” she said.
Alliance with the Cielos de Chile Foundation
In this context, and within the framework of the “Clean Skies” agreement signed between the municipality, the Regional Government, and the Cielos de Chile Foundation in March of this year, thematic tables have been organized to develop governance in astrotourism in the commune. Among the commitments made by the institutions is to analyze and carry out measures that allow the development of astronomical tourism in Vallenar and its rural localities.
“Considering that the skies of Atacama are some of the most pristine and darkest for the development of astrotourism and everything related to science through the knowledge of the skies, within the agreement is the commitment to hold a governance table where several actors were called. We already had the first meeting to start these works,” mentioned Lesly Meza.
The agreement adds to the work that the Las Campanas Observatory has done with the municipality, promoting activities related to training and empowering entrepreneurs from localities near the observatory. Additionally, in the middle of this year, the Corporation for the Promotion of Production (Corfo) inaugurated the Technological Diffusion Program (PDT) which seeks to improve the competitiveness of the tourism sector in Atacama, promoting development in innovation and dissemination of astrotourism.
The technical table that brings together the main actors of the commune
The first meeting of the technical table to promote astrotourism governance included the participation of the Municipality, with the department of Productive Development and the department of Culture; the Regional Government of Atacama; Sercotec; Corfo; the Cielos de Chile Foundation; and local tourism entrepreneurs of all levels.
In this first meeting, Lesly Meza reports, the main topics to be addressed were raised, and some work axes were defined that are expected to be achieved with this new governance. “First is training, generating a development hub and a hub of interest for our tourism entrepreneurs and the general public who may be interested in undertaking a project. After this, we want to start with formalization and then implementation with new equipment,” she explained.
Regarding the training, these will address topics related to astronomical observation so that entrepreneurs can offer a correct service to tourists. But also, in these learning instances, information about the New Lighting Standard and the importance of caring for dark skies will be included.
The mayor of Vallenar, Armando Flores, highlighted the role of the Cielos de Chile Foundation in the technical table. “I appreciate the participation of the Regional Government, the community, but also the Cielos de Chile Foundation, because this will allow us to have a technical table with a comprehensive view, which will give the necessary support to the efforts we are making,” he asserted.
For her part, Daniela González, executive director of the Cielos de Chile Foundation, emphasized the importance of not separating the promotion of economic development of astrotourism from the awareness of sky protection. “We want the people of Vallenar to be aware of the impact that light pollution generates not only for astronomical observation or the development of astronomical tourism, but also that it has an impact on biodiversity and people’s health,” she added.
Regarding the next steps, Lesly Meza aims to consolidate and expand the group of actors that has formed with the technical table. “We want more actors to start joining, like Sernatur and see if we can also include other types of services that provide training and investment for entrepreneurs in the area. We have also been in talks with the Las Campanas Observatory, and it is within the guidelines of our agreement to be able to generate training and information in schools in the area,” she concluded.
