Rise in after-dark travel drives tourism surge across Australian

ABC NEWS (Australia)

As the sun sets, a new kind of tourism is lighting up the night — and the economy. After-dark experiences are now pumping tens of millions of dollars into Australia during the typically quieter winter months.

Transcript

00:00As night falls, Sydney Zoo is coming to life.

00:07Final inspection of the zoo is complete, all lights are on.

00:10Go ahead and open the doors and let everyone have some fun.

00:13It's called GLOW, an immersive light and sound experience

00:16that's turned the zoo into a major night-time attraction.

00:20They're beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

00:22I think she's really enjoying it.

00:24Right across the world, light shows in zoos work incredibly well

00:27and we've seen that, we've taken inspiration from some of the zoos

00:29right across the world.

00:31Night-based tourism, or nocturism, is gaining momentum around the world

00:36with travellers seeking out unique experiences after dark.

00:41At Uluru, traditional owners the Ananu have created a drone show

00:46to share an ancient creation story.

00:49Far from the red centre, Tasmania's night skies are a major drawcard

00:54with travellers chasing the Aurora Australis.

00:57Tasmania's winter arts and music festival, Dark Mofo, kicks off next month,

01:02drawing crowds and pumping millions into the state's economy.

01:06We've seen a huge increase in people wanting to experience a destination

01:10in the evening and that's really been driven by things like astrotourism,

01:13really experiencing dark night skies, as well as nocturnal wildlife too.

01:19Vivid Sydney was created to lure visitors during the cooler months

01:24and it's now the southern hemisphere's biggest light show

01:28with more than 2.5 million people last year.

01:31This month's festival is expected to pump more than $180 million into the economy.

01:37I think we've proved over the last 15 years that people do want to go out in winter,

01:42they do want to experience their city in winter, they do want to see it in a new light.

01:46From the desert to the city, Australia is finding new ways to shine long after the sun goes down.

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