By the editorial team. (Original publication in Spanish)

Imagine a starry night, absolute silence, and good company. Sounds good, right? And it sounds even better if, while enjoying this experience, you are contributing to the local development of the area. With this perspective in mind, we present to you the project that has made it possible: Starlight Iberá.

The landscape of the Iberá park as the protagonist

We are located in the region of Corrientes (Argentina), specifically in the Iberá Park, the largest nature and biodiversity reserve in the country. Currently, the area has become a driving force for the sustainable progress of the region, generating over 20,000 jobs and positively impacting the Guarani community living in the area. In this context, the Starlight Iberá project aims to enhance the local development of the destination through the creation of an innovative sustainable tourism offer.

The Starlight Foundation, responsible for certifying the destination and training in astrotourism, Global CAD, responsible for training small businesses, the Yetapá Foundation, in charge of land management, and Ideas for Change, which will participate in the development of innovative projects, join forces in this initiative funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID). 

Last December, the calls were opened for interested individuals to join the project in the three locations where the action will take place: Chavarria, Concepción, and Loreto. Three municipalities with great tourism potential featuring the landscape of the Gran Parque Iberá as the protagonist. In February 2022, one of the most beautiful actions of the project began: the Starlight training to turn guides and tourism providers into astrotourism monitors, led by the Starlight Foundation. 

New business models that have a positive impact

Developing a Regenerative Tourism Destination requires integrating and articulating all the agents that comprise it and, at the same time, supporting the local community to create and strengthen their ventures. For this reason, Ideas for Change takes action alongside Global CAD and the Yetapá Foundation with the Iberá Emprende initiative, the space for tourism innovation for co-creating the destination with the communities. The objective is to assist participants through training, workshops, and mentoring, to create the Iberá tourism route where the municipalities work in a coordinated and collaborative manner, strengthening their capacities and providing travelers with a memorable experience. Working together with a team of specialists in tourism and innovation from Ideas for Change, the potential of local assets will be assessed to develop new business models within the framework of regenerative tourism.

But why astrotourism? Because it has a double impact. On one hand, it impacts the local economy, increasing overnight stays, breaking seasonality, decentralizing the offer, and creating new spaces. On the other, it impacts the identity of the destination, valuing cultural and historical heritage, recovering the Guarani worldview, protecting and preserving biodiversity, empowering communities, and contributing to the SDGs. 

Thus, the creation of new tourism experiences related to stargazing, which are emerging as a result of the project, will sustainably and respectfully increase the number of visitors to the destinations, benefiting thousands of people both directly and indirectly. At the end of October and the beginning of November, the destination will be launched to showcase the work done at the provincial, national, and international levels that will make Iberá the first Starlight destination in Argentina. 

Keeping track of the project's progress, make sure not to lose sight of us;)