Projects

Astrotourism is a 36-month long project funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation.

The project aims in using a professional approach in astrotourism product research and development for Cyprus along with a high-end astrotourism policy and governance.

Astrotourism’s research objective is to initiate a new section in the Cyprus tourism industry by increasing the number, the quality, the expenditure of the tourists and the number of local jobs in the periphery. Within this objective, we aim to research and create direct and indirect experiences within real, virtual and blended augmented reality environments where the visitor could expand his/her astronomical knowledge in a practical, simple and efficient way. This experience will be an added value tool for Cyprus, where the weather conditions secure clear skies for most of the days and nights. The overall goal is to conduct research that will focus on “beyond the state-of-the-art” innovation in the field of astrotourism leading Cyprus to be added on the world map of the astrotourism “hot” destinations and creating the proper environment to host and offer astronomy experiences for both experts and enthusiasts at an entry level.

Cyprus has one of the clearest night skies as well as optimal geographical location in the world, offering great advantages for astrotourism development.

Added value of the project:

1. will strengthen the tourism competitiveness in Cyprus;
2. will research and develop an innovative product that will give Cyprus the leverage to include itself in the international arena of astrotourism destinations;
3. will provide solutions in diminishing the long-standing problems of tourism in Cyprus, i.e. the low-income tourism & and the seasonality issues;
4. will give dedicated care for the environment;
5. will provide the opportunity for many local citizens to experience and learn about the universe in both real and virtual environments;
6. will be the driver for the creation of local jobs.

Project products:

1. Astro-Parks & Astro-Villages Eco-System set-up.
2. Astro-Tour Guides, Material and Training: fun-and-learning activities for age groups 3-5, 6-9, 10-12 to be implemented in Astro-Parks.
3. Astro Programme & Astro Events: Yearly Calendar of Astronomical Events and a calendar specifically highlighting high-profile astronomical phenomena visible from Cyprus.
4. Astro-Tourism Packages: for attracting visitors to the astroparks and astrovillages, and to be used for the pilot study.
5. Material on augmented reality/virtual reality.
6. Strategic Business Plan: for the commercialization of the Astrotourism project.

The project consortium is composed by seven partners with different expertise in relation to the project. Along with AKTI, Project and Research Centre, the project’s consortium is consisted by Top Kinisis (coordinator), the Research Centre on Interactive Media, Smart Systems, and Emerging Technologies (RISE), the University of Nicosia Research Foundation, the Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago, Adelve and 1010 Asteroskopeion.