The night has always had an undeniable charm, but in 2025 it could become the absolute protagonist of travel. The “nocurism”, a term that indicates a certain type of tourism that aims to create experiences under the starry sky, is emerging as one of the most significant trends of global tourism. At the base is the desire to admire the majesty of the northern lights, to get lost in the darkness of deserts, and more generally the desire to rediscover the world from different perspectives, when the day leaves the stage at night.
A new way of traveling
Traveling at night is certainly not a novelty, but the search for darker skies and incredible panoramas is gaining more and more ground. A number of people continuously increased is willing to spend important figures to live rare experiences such as the “bathrooms of stars” or follow the path of an eclipse. Why all this enthusiasm? The night guarantees a unique atmosphere, a sense of peace away from the daytime chaos, that modern travelers are learning to appreciate more and more.
According to a booking.com report, Nocturism is destined to grow, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to respond to practical needs. The desire to escape high temperatures during the day and anxiety about climate change are playing a key role. An interesting fact: more than half of travelers would be willing to plan their activities in unusual time slots to avoid heat and reduce exposure to sunlight.
The northern lights and other night experiences
Who has never dreamed of seeing the boreal aurora? The city of Tromsø, in Norway, is experiencing a real tourist boom, with an increase in reservations and new aerial routes created specifically to bring travelers under the Arctic sky. But it is not only Norway that is the center of attention, given that for example the deserts, with immense skies and remote coasts, where the sea seems to shine under the moon, are other destinations that attract more and more enthusiasts of nocurism.
This type of tourism is not limited to visual experiences only. The “bathrooms of stars”, for example, combine the observation of the sky with the relaxation to be perpetuated in unique natural contexts, while the star guides and the unrepeatable cosmic events, such as eclipses and rains of meteorites, are becoming a very valid reason to plan the holidays.
A sustainable approach to the night
Another interesting aspect is the ecological aspect of nocurism. More and more travelers choose destinations with skies without light pollution, thus contributing to the preservation of uncontaminated natural environments. We are parlands of travelers aware of the human impact on the environment, which see in the night an opportunity to connect with nature and support all those tourist practices held responsible.
The ecological aspect, albeit central, goes hand in hand with the desire to find yourself, away from the frenetic rhythms of the day. Planing a night holiday becomes almost a therapeutic gesture, a way to slow down and enjoy what often goes unnoticed.
A trend that speaks of emotions
What makes nocurism fascinating are not only the places visited, but the emotions it arouses. There is something deeply intimate in looking at a starry sky or in assisting a rare celestial event. It is as if the night invited us to reflect, to connect with something bigger than ourselves.
Returning to the Booking.com report, the statistics say that 62% of travelers seek destinations where darkness reigns sovereign, while 72% are interested in living moments of contemplation under the stars, numbers that demonstrate how much nocurism is not only a passenger fashion, but a movement destined to last and grow in an exponential way.
The future of night tourism
Looking at 2025, it is clear that Nocturism will not be, and it is no longer, niche tourism. The operators in the sector are investing in infrastructures and promotions to respond to a constantly growing demand: from transparent domes in national parks to personalized tours in the polar regions, the offers are multiplying to satisfy an increasingly demanding audience.
Ultimately, Nocturism represents a sort of glorification of the night in all its forms, an invitation to discover the world from a different perspective, letting itself be surprised by the wonders of the darkness. And who knows, perhaps it is precisely in the tranquility of the night that we will find the answers to our deepest and most hidden questions.
