Abstract

ARAYA-PIZARRO, Sebastián. Astrotourism as strategic alternative of territorial development: the case of the Estrella Region of Chile. Economía y Sociedad [online]. 2020, vol.25, n.58, pp.17-34. ISSN 2215-3403.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/eys.25.58.2.

The privileged conditions of the skies in northern Chile have allowed the Coquimbo region to position itself as the world’s capital of astronomy forging a unique local identity: that of the Estrella Region. However, no systemic competitive offer has been consolidated for the region to take advantage of the territory’s patrimonial wealth. On July 2, 2019, the country experienced one of the most important astronomical events in the world, a total solar eclipse, a phenomenon that prompted the arrival of over 300 thousand visitors and provided the opportunity to explore their satisfaction with their visit. The objective of this study was to analyze the profile and satisfaction of foreign tourists who participated in the mega event. Data was collected through a survey applied to 228 tourists and was later analyzed using a binary logistic regression. Results revealed the existence of various attributes of the visitors’ profile, as well as tourist aspects that influence their level of satisfaction (sex, use of e-commerce, astronomical offering, lodging, signage, cleanliness, financial resources, entertainment, and tourist information). It is concluded that there is a need to strategically plan the destination from a synergic holistic approach, considering both the contextual tourist aspects of the area and the differentiating attributes of the value proposition offered to passengers. In this way, the potential of astronomical tourism could be exploited as a strategic alternative for territorial revitalization.

Keywords : Astrotourist; satisfaction; rural tourism; solar eclipse; competitiveness.

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