The Middle East’s first ‘Dark Sky’ destination is betting big on astrotourism

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Sara Sami remembers the first time she really saw the stars.

The 38-year-old Bahraini photographer and travel guide was scouting out a spot for one of her tour itineraries in Saudi Arabia — a huge cliff overlooking a vast desert, nicknamed the “Edge of the World.”

“There was a blanket of stars right above us,” recalls Sami. “You could see thousands of them, like they were endless. It was beautiful.”

Since then, Saudi Arabia has become her favorite spot for stargazing. Sami has driven into the Kingdom’s desert dozens of times from her home in Bahrain, an island state in the Persian Gulf connected to Saudi Arabia by a 24-kilometer-long (15-mile) causeway. Camping out under the stars, Sami seeks out places with undisturbed darkness, far from towns and cities, where she can see the Milky Way.

“I was able to find a spot that’s only four hours away from Bahrain, it’s literally in the middle of a desert: there is an abandoned village with broken houses. It’s kind of creepy, but it has the most beautiful sky,” she says.

Sami isn’t the only one who’s noticed the nation’s starry skies. In November last year, AlUla Manara and AlGharameel Nature Reserves, near the ancient oasis city of AlUla, were named the first-ever Dark Sky Parks in the Middle East by DarkSky International, a non-profit that advocates against light pollution. Saudi Arabia joined just 21 other countries on its list of certified Dark Sky Places, with the US, New Zealand and Germany topping the list.

“AlUla’s night skies have always left visitors in awe,” says Gary Fildes, senior manager of AlUla Manara’s observatory, a scientific research and tourism initiative launched last year.

Part of the 2,334 square kilometer (901-square-mile) reserve’s commitment to the preservation of the night sky involves careful lighting design, such as ensuring that lights have shades that direct the light down rather than up.

The observatory is currently drawing up an outdoor lighting guide for new and existing developments within AlUla County, Fildes told CNN in an email — which he hopes will “enable residents and visitors to always see the night sky above AlUla in all its natural beauty for years to come.”

Stunning celestial sights

Astrotourism has been a growing niche in sustainable travel for several years — and one with huge economic rewards. In the US, the National Park Service found that astronomically minded visitors are bringing in billions of dollars, and are likely to spend money on overnight lodgings, food and equipment. Other nations, including India and Australia, have also seen an uptick in nocturnal tourists in the past year, particularly around celestial events like solar eclipses.

DarkSky International has five categories that recognize areas with limited light pollution and active darkness conservation policies.

“Those are places that are going to be fairly disconnected from large communities, but it’s a place where you’ll see the Milky Way very clearly,” says Dan Oakley, the chair of the Dark Sky Places Committee for DarkSky International.

Places like AlUla have developed a range of astrotourism activities such as guided stargazing excursions. Beyond reconnecting to nature or learning about astronomical events, these activities can introduce regional “starlore:” cultural mythology around the night sky.

Saudi Arabia’s history with the stars can be traced back to the Nabataeans and Bedouins, ancient nomadic tribes who lived across the Arabian Peninsula, who used the stars as both practical tools for navigation and divine symbols that aligned with cosmic events, says Fildes.

For them, Venus — which appeared as the brightest star in the sky — was linked to Al-Uzza, a powerful goddess, while the sun was associated with Dushara, a revered deity, he says, adding that “high rock outcrops in AlUla may have served as sacred sites for celestial worship.”

Night sky heritage and folklore like this is integral to “how our communities and societies have evolved,” says Oakley.

“People can stand under a starry sky, look up, and have the same experience that their ancestors did from 10,000 years ago,” he says, adding: “We get a lot of our narratives and folklore from the way we engage with the sky, as part of our heritage.”

Dark-conscious design

AlUla Manara and AlGharameel Nature Reserves are just the beginning of Saudi Arabia’s astrotourism ambitions, with plans to make its currently-under-development Red Sea Destination, which is roughly the size of Belgium, the Middle East’s largest designated Dark Sky Reserve.

The project’s developers, Red Sea Global, are working with lighting specialists on “innovative designs that tick all the boxes for good light pollution protection,” says Oakley.

“Preserving natural darkness is crucial for both people and the planet,” Andrew Bates, Red Sea Global’s associate director of lighting, told CNN in an email. The resort is implementing solutions such as shielding light sources and aiming light fixtures downwards, as well using warm lighting colors, and smart control systems that will integrate with the development’s renewable energy, Bates says, adding that the Red Sea destination’s first resort, Six Senses Southern Dunes, has already achieved Dark Sky compliance.

Like AlUla, the Red Sea destination is leaning into Islamic astronomy traditions, says Ahmed AlThaher, the astronomy lead for Akun, Red Sea Global’s adventure activity company: “During Hajj season, we highlighted how celestial objects were used for navigation to Mecca and timing of rituals. Other experiences at our destination focus on moon phases and Hijri calendaring (an Islamic lunar calendar).”

Of course, there’s an inherent paradox in astrotourism, as increased tourism means more people, which can often lead to more light pollution. One of the most visible consequences of light pollution — caused by everyday light sources such as street lamps, electronic advertising, and floodlights in sports grounds — is “sky glow,” which obscures the stars for about 80% of the world’s population, according to Dark Sky International.

The surging interest in astrotourism is reflected in the kind of applications Dark Sky International receives, where tourism is a “prime driver” for many locations seeking a designation, says Oakley.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, but we just have to be aware that they’re quite different from other applicants” who may have a more astronomical or conservation-led interest in dark sky preservation, he adds.

However, motivations aside, the preservation of the night sky and a more conscientious approach to lighting design has positive impacts beyond tourism dollars: light pollution negatively impacts wildlife and ecosystems by disrupting behaviors triggered by the dark, impacting bird migrations, sea turtle hatching, and nocturnal predators. Red Sea Global plans to cap numbers at one million visitors, in addition to implementing sustainability initiatives across the various resorts, in a bid to prevent overtourism and mitigate the impact of human activity.

As Saudi Arabia develops its tourism sector, Oakley is glad to see dark sky lighting practices being embedded into designs — although with just 15 people per square kilometer (5.8 per square mile), one of the lowest population densities in the world, the nation already has a significant advantage in limiting light pollution.

It’s one of the reasons that Sara Sami continues to visit. Even beyond designated nature reserves, it’s easy to find an off-the-grid spot with no lights, she says.

“Most of the areas in Saudi, you could find the night sky there. All of the beautiful wonders they have, they are out in the desert, so you get the best of both worlds: beautiful nature and a great night sky.”

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