Seize the Night!
Insights behind the economy of a dark sky gateway town
An interview with Athens Boyle, seasonal Dark Sky Intern at Capitol Reef National Park, and recent graduate of University of Utah's Minor in Dark Sky Sciences Program
By Lisa Stoner, Coordinator for the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range Dark Sky Cooperatives
There are many reasons an individual might decide to join the dark sky movement - be it a personal connection with the cosmos, the human health or economic benefit, cultural or environmental preservation. For the many small cities and towns attempting to meet a similar dark sky objective, likely have an understanding for, or at least interest in, the economic potential afforded by a sustainable approach to astrotourism - a long-term strategy to attract visitors seeking starry nights and celestial events, but in a way that meets the needs and concerns of the locals.
Starry skies overhead as the town settles in for the night
Photo credit: Stock Snap (Pixabay)
Interview with Athens Boyle
This spotlight draws upon an interview with Athens Boyle, a recent graduate of the University of Utah’s (UofU) Environment, Society, & Sustainability undergraduate program, with a focus in Dark Sky Sciences. During the interview, Boyle shared details from his Senior Honors Thesis and National Park Service (NPS) Internship completed in the summer of 2024 at Capitol Reef National Park, located just 5 miles outside of Torrey, Utah. For his thesis, Boyle had the opportunity to complete a mini case study which he titled, “Visitation Benefits of Astrotourism in Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.”
Boyle assists someone with the telescope at a community
star party in Torrey, Utah
Photo credit: Athens Boyle
This was a great way to revisit the skills he gained and the connections he made, two years prior when he spent time in Torrey, while taking the “Nightscapes” course led by UofU faculty, Kate Magargal. This course introduced practical applications of night-friendly outdoor lighting while directly engaging with and learning from members of the assigned focal community, in Torrey, Utah. Funding for his internship was provided by the local non-profit, Entrada Institute.
A brief background on NPS Visitor Spending in Gateway Communities
In 2023, 325 million park visitors were recorded nationally across the National Park System, infusing an estimated $26.4 billion into local gateway communities, a $5.4 billion increase compared to pre-pandemic figures (National Park Service, (a)). From these expenditures, thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in labor income, value added, and economic output were reported at the national level. The purchases made by visitors directly support the sales, income, and jobs in neighboring communities, with the greatest effects seen in hotels, restaurants, gas, recreation industries, retail, transportation, groceries, and camping sectors.
Seeing Starry Nights as an Economic Resource for Rural Businesses
With less than 30% of people around the world unable to see the Milky Way when they step outside at night (Falchi, et al. 2016), this deficit, in turn, presents a clear economic opportunity for others. For rural towns fortunate to have nearly endless starry nights and celestial views, an economic potential exists, provided the night sky resource is managed carefully and reinforced with a common understanding and willingness to maintain responsible outdoor lighting. With the popularity of night sky-dependent recreation increasing worldwide, and knowing the visitors seeking these kinds of activities tend to stay longer and spend more (Mitchell & Gallaway, 2019), protecting the starry skies has become a valuable economic resource for rural communities (National Park Service, (b)).
Torrey, Utah, was formally recognized by the International Dark Sky Association, now known as DarkSky International, as Utah’s first International Dark Sky Community in 2018. This came three years following Capitol Reef National Park gaining its title as a “gold-tier” International Dark Sky Park in 2015. Torrey is a welcoming place. A quaint town with rustic roots and artistic appeal, yet somewhat off the beaten path relative to other national parks in the state. The surrounding landscape is a complex of high deserts, uplifted cliffs, forested mountains, and several historic farms. The number of full-time residents in 2018 was approximately 230 people, now estimated to be closer to 332, in 2025.
According to Boyle, the visitors who come to Torrey and Capitol Reef "are either really into parks or are coming for a dark sky experience.” His words echo similar conclusions of Smith, et al. (2023), who found 61.8% of the people surveyed at the national and state Dark Sky Parks in Utah, had some form of night sky-dependent recreation planned during their visit.
Diving into the Data
For his thesis, Boyle wanted to know if local businesses sensed a change in occupancy or general awareness about “dark skies” since the town and park had been Dark Sky certified. Boyle offered in-person interviews with all 16 hotels that were open at the time. Not all businesses were willing to share their information, expressing privacy concerns and stating, “it was between them and the IRS.” Of those hotel owners and managers who did participate, they reported an uptick in both bookings and guest inquiries about dark sky experiences. New hotels, such as Skyview Hotel and Casitas at Capitol Reef, opened in response to the growing demand, with Skyview Hotel citing pristine night skies as a “primary draw” and “full bookings since opening.”
Quantitatively, Boyle was able to show with historic NPS visitation data, the sharp increase in visitors at Capitol Reef National Park starting in 2014-2015, right at the time Capitol Reef NP was certified as an International Dark Sky Park (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Annual visitation to Capitol Reef National Park from 1938 to 2023
He also used county-based historic tax collection data collected by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute for the Utah Office of Tourism to show increases in occupancy, average daily room rates, and restaurant taxes. Tourism in the town of Torrey and the surrounding Wayne County is highly seasonal, peaking in summer months, with most restaurants and hotels closed in the winter. The total lodging tax for Wayne County increased from $119,165 in September 2018 to $159,284 in May 2023 (Figure 2). Restaurant tax collection for Wayne County also rose in 2022 and 2023 compared to the years before the certifications (Figure 3).
Figure 2: Lodging Tax Collection for Wayne County, Utah, 2015-2024
Figure 3: Restaurant Tax Collection for Wayne County, Utah, 2015-2024
The seasonal trends for occupancy percentage and average daily room rates similarly peaked in spring and summer months of 2022, noting the data were an average across three counties: Wayne, Garfield, and San Juan (Figure 4). The drop seen in 2023 was a reflection of the new hotels that opened that year, distributing the visitation and thus lowering the average values.
Figure 4. Occupancy Percentage and Average Daily Rate for Room Cost in Garfield, San Juan,
and Wayne County, UT from 2015 - 2024
Many of local businesses started catering to the reputation as a “dark sky destination” by naming their busineses after the night sky, such as “Dark Sky Coffee,” and dedicating new stargazing decks for their guests. The DarkSky designation has been and continues to be a significant driver of tourism and an economic benefit for the region.
Applauding Local Partnerships
The decision to focus on the economic connections between Wayne County and Capitol Reef National Park for his thesis, was largely due to the internship he was offered at Capitol Reef National Park in the summer of 2024. The educational outreach of an International Dark Sky Park often extends beyond the park and well into the gateway communities to recognize and support the mutual benefit of local partnerships. With support from both the NPS and Entrada Institute, Boyle had the opportunity to further develop his telescope skills and lead discussions about the night sky at several local events. Boyle reflects on his time working in Torrey and at Capitol Reef fondly, for the friends and learning experiences he gained.
Importance of Ongoing Economic Data
Astrotourism is a rapidly growing field in an ever-changing environment. More case examples and robust economic data are valuable sources of information to demonstrate the economic potential and unique ways astrotourism has been developed.
If you have a story you would like to share about a community or business benefiting from an investment in astrotourism or night sky-dependent recreation, please reach out! We want to connect and hear your story! Contact jordan.smith@usu.edu.
Capitol Reef, Utah
Photo credit: Adam Derewecki (Pixabay)
Learn More
References:
- Boyle, A. (2024). Visitation Benefits of Astrotourism in Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. Thesis, University of Utah. (can be made available upon request)
- Falchi, F., P. et al. (2016). The new world atlas of artificial night sky brightness. Science Advances, 2(6), e1600377. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.1600377. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1600377
- Mitchell, D. and Gallaway, T. (2019). “Dark sky tourism: economic impacts on the Colorado Plateau Economy, USA”, Tourism Review, Vol. 74 No. 4, pp. 930-942. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-10-2018-0146
- Smith, J. W., Miller, Z. D., Miller, A. B., Lamborn, C. C., Beeco, A., & Anderson, S. (2023). Characteristics, management preferences, and spending profiles of night sky recreationists in Utah. Logan, UT: Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, Utah State University. https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/682508
Data Sources:
- Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute - County Tourism Dashboard - Utah. (Accessed: 18Apr2025) https://gardner.utah.edu/public-policy/travel-and-tourism/county-tourism-dashboard/
- National Park Service (Accessed: 18Apr2025)
- (a) Visitor Spending Effects: Economic Contributions of National Park Visitor Spending https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm
- (b) Night Skies: An Economic Value https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/economic.htm
- (c) Visitor Use Statistics https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/reports/park
Other Resources:
- International Dark Sky Places Program
- Entrada Institute
- Torrey Dark Skies
- University of Utah, Minor in Dark Sky Sciences
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