Positioning Space Tourism within Astrotourism: Pathways for Commercialization and Market Development

Abstract

Astrotourism is increasingly recognized as a niche form of tourism that integrates science, culture, and experience through human engagement with the universe. Within this broader category, space tourism represents one of its most prominent strands, shaped by technological progress and the growing demand for knowledge-driven encounters. While interest in both astrotourism and space tourism has expanded, the commercialization of these activities remains underexplored, particularly regarding how markets, business models, and visitor experiences evolve in tandem. To address this gap, this study examines how Business Model Innovation (BMI) has been conceptualized and applied within the context of terrestrial astrotourism, and what implications it holds for the sustainable commercialization of space tourism. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA approach, focusing on 12 scholarly publications indexed in Scopus. Each article was analyzed through thematic synthesis to identify its central focus, treatment of business model components, and orientation toward commercialization. The analysis was guided by a framework distinguishing five forms of business model innovation: value proposition, marketing, process, revenue model and organizational innovation. The findings reveal that commercialization in astrotourism is primarily driven by innovations in value proposition, market expansion, and organizational collaboration. These developments indicate a transition from conventional sightseeing toward immersive, educational, and community-embedded experiences that generate emotional, cultural, and environmental value for visitors. While process and revenue innovations appear less developed and often implicit, emerging practices such as emotional experience staging, technology-assisted interpretation, and coordinated dark-sky management reflect increasing maturity in how astrotourism products are designed and delivered. More broadly, astrotourism functions as a testing ground for new forms of destination governance and experience-based value creation that may inform future models of responsible space-related tourism. Its emphasis on sustainability, inclusiveness, and local participation offers insights for constructing resilient and ethically grounded tourism frameworks. Further research should examine digital mediation, financial sustainability, and impact assessment to clarify how astrotourism can contribute to sustainable pathways within the evolving space economy.