Astrotourism and sustainable development : A case study of Y oron Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

Astrotourism has begun to attract an increasing number of tourists and academic researchers. It is seen as an innovative form of tourism that contributes to sustainable tourism development based on the'triple bottom line' concept. It is expected to contribute to the night-time economy, promote educational activities to prevent light pollution, and encourage the inheritance of star lore in the community. We currently practice sustainable development centered on astrotourism on Y oron Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan based on these three pillars, and this report introduces our initiatives.