DARK-SKY TOURISM FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM RECOVERY 5. CONCLUSIONS The Covid-19 pandemic has brought extensive and unexpected severe impacts on the tourism sector. The UNWTO assessment has shown that the crisis is still ongoing and the situation remains unclear. Tourism cannot risk any further and the action to restart the activities should be taken in order to prevent the inability of possible restoration. The restart of tourism activities has gradually begun through the support and implementation of domestic tourism activities. The industry recovery strategies are focused on the development of a new model of tourism in terms of sustainability, responsibility and resilience. In the context of the post-pandemic recovery of the sector, we have concluded that DST can play a key role and become an important instrument for domestic tourism recovery since it represents a great response to the current challenges. Properly managed DST becomes an innovative and unique tourism product that contributes to the achievement of SDGs by involving nature-based activities, stimulating the wise use of natural resources, enhancing environmental protection, providing the growth of local economies and advancing the preservation of the cultural heritage. With regard to health risks related to the pandemic, DST can be organized in a way that provides safe health conditions, preventing the further spread of Covid-19. Another no less important aspect is a correspondence of DST to the current demand for ecological and natural- -based tourism, aiming to experience a “slow life” without the stress imposed by urban living. DST, as a very adaptive form of tourism, can be combined with different tourist activities possible in rural and natural areas. For example, stargazing can be combined with hiking or horse riding, which can attract groups of tourists not specifically interested in astronomy. Potentially, the well-organized DST offer can become a unique destination that will also become popular among international tourists when the epidemiological situation will allow that. It is important to note, however, that growing demand for natural experiences may increase the environmental pressure of tourist flow in natural and rural areas. In this case, while introducing DST activities not only the proper lighting system should be implemented in order to minimize light pollution, but also it is necessary to provide the environmental and social impacts assessment of tourists visits, especially in relation to fragile nighttime species and ecosystems56. 56 Bjelajac, D., Đerčan, B. & Kovačić, S. (2021) Dark skies and dark screens as a precondition for astronomy tourism and general well-being. Inf Technol Tourism 23, 19–43 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-020-00189-9.
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