Home to some of the world’s darkest skies, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox officially acknowledged the state’s stellar-stargazing status on Monday.
In an official declaration, the governor named April Dark Sky Month for the fourth year in a row, touting the unique resource that the Utah Office of Tourism says is an economic boon for Western states.
According to the office, in the coming decade astrotourism could lead to nearly $6 billion in spending across parts of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona and the creation of 113,000 new jobs. A 2019 study found that astrotourism is more sustained, with clear skies attracting stargazers during winter months, usually the off-season for rural, tourist-based economies.
“Visitors to Utah engaging in astrotourism tend to stay longer, spend more and mitigate harmful tourism impacts on the local community,” Cox said in a video statement, noting that 80% of residents in North America can’t view the Milky Way from their home.
Utah has the world’s most accredited DarkSky International places, defined as destinations “that preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education.”
Utah has 25 locations — including East Canyon State Park, Arches National Park and the town of Helper — on DarkSky International’s list, a global group that advocates against light pollution. Ten state parks, three towns and all of Utah’s five national parks are accredited.
“Utah is home to some of the most breathtaking areas in the world, but many people only visit them during the daytime,” said Utah State Parks Director Scott Strong in a statement. “At our state parks, we offer dark sky programs and tours that help visitors see these areas in a unique way. This not only improves our visitors’ experience but also helps open their minds to a new and exciting activity to participate in moving forward. Seeing an area like Goblin Valley State Park during the day is a beautiful sight to behold, but experiencing it at night takes it to a whole other level.”
