Costa da Morte Tourism Association (CMAT) presented its candidacy in January, marking a historic milestone by applying for the first time as the host of this prestigious event
The International Starlight Meeting, in its VII edition, will coincide with the II International Starlight Conference, which takes place every 3 years
ZAS. 22/02/2024. CMAT has just received the decision of the Starlight Foundation indicating its selection as the venue for the 7th International Starlight Meeting. The Foundation made this decision after reviewing 9 applications from different Starlight Tourist Destinations around the world.
To announce this important news, CMAT held a press conference this Thursday at Torres do Allo in Zas, with the participation of several members of its Board of Directors: Manuel Muíño, its president; María Lema, vice-president; Pepe Formoso, secretary; and Damián Álvarez, membero of the Board.
During this press conference, Manuel Muíño, president of CMAT and mayor of Zas, highlighted that one of the aspects for which the Starlight Foundation chose this candidacy was the fact that it is a new and excited destination: “It is something very important for us, a great surprise. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we are very excited about what a congress like this will mean for Costa da Morte and Galicia”.
Starlight Board
In order to face this challenge, the role of the Starlight Board will be crucial in the decision-making process and in the coordination of the different actors involved in the organisation of the congress. This board is formed by part of the members of the CMAT Board of Directors and its technical secretariat, as well as honorary members such as Turismo de Galicia, Deputación da Coruña, Jorge Mira from USC, Mavi Lezcano from UDC and Antonia Varela, from the Starlight Foundation itself.
This 2024 edition is expected to be particularly relevant, as the VII Starlight Astrotourism Meeting and the V Starlight Guides and Monitors Meeting will coincide on the same date with the II International Starlight Astrotourism Conference, which takes place every three years. It will take place between the 1st and the 5th of October this year.
The International Starlight Meeting annually brings together professionals, companies, public and private entities, media, Starlight monitors and guides, focusing its approach on the Starlight Foundation’s transversal axes: astrotourism, local sustainable development, natural and cultural heritage linked to the light of the stars, protection of the sky and promotion of astronomy.
In its previous editions, this event was held in places as diverse as Gredos (Castilla y León), Menorca (Balearic Islands), Mosteiro de El Olivar (Aragón), Évora (Portugal) or Fuencaliente de La Palma (Canary Islands). The last 2023 meeting, in which Costa da Morte was the only Starlight Destination in Galicia to participate as lecturer, took place in Cuenca, attracted more than 200 participants and, year after year, proves to be an event of great economic and social impact in the territory.
CMAT highlighted in its candidacy the possibilities of the Costa da Morte geodestination, offering venues and services for the event, presenting the territory, the involvement of the different stakeholders, the local tourism sector (especially Starlight monitors), its connectivity, facilities, and a wide range of attractive activities for the attendees, among which the more scientific ones are mixed with the purely recreational ones: from astrophotography workshops to guided tours, showcookings with local seasonal products, observation of the stars next to a dolmen or kayaking routes, among others.
An opportunity for Costa da Morte and Galicia
Pepe Formoso, president of APTCM, member of the CMAT Board of Directors, highlighted the importance of cohesion between the administrations, the private sector and the media: “We do not work independently. We are a whole group of stakeholders. Both the 17 municipalities and the entrepreneurs and also the media, which in the end are the ones who tell the stories. It is a great opportunity”.
In this sense, Formoso also highlighted the potential of this congress for tourism in the area: “The participants will be proactive people and will be future clients of our establishments after this congress”.
According to the director of the Starlight Foundation, Antonia Varela, “Costa da Morte is one of the newest Tourist Destinations of the Starlight Network, but it has made an ascending path with a solid astro-tourism strategy, to which we can add the great commitment of the public administrations and companies responsible for the territory, affectionate to the principles of the Starlight Network”. The Starlight Foundation also stresses that holding this meeting on Costa da Morte is also strategic for Galicia, which already has seven Starlight Tourist Destinations, being the third region in Spain with the most Starlight certifications, after Castilla La Mancha and the Canary Islands, tied with Castilla y León and closely followed by Andalusia, Catalonia and Aragón.
Therefore, the celebration of this congress on Costa da Morte is historic and will represent a unique opportunity for international positioning as a tourist destination, setting a precedent for future events and generating economic opportunities in the short and medium term.
+ info: Costa da Morte Asociación Turística: CMAT Press Office. 623297799
