The Boostly Podcast: Turning Stargazing into a 5-Star Guest Experience with Visit Dark Skies
Episode Release Date: June 2, 2025
Introduction
In this captivating episode of The Boostly Podcast, host Mark Simpson delves into the innovative world of enhancing guest experiences in the hospitality industry. Joining him is Etta Dunnemann, the visionary founder of Visit Dark Skies, a service dedicated to transforming stargazing into a memorable and unique offering for remote property hosts. This episode explores how leveraging the natural beauty of the night sky can elevate a property's appeal, attract more direct bookings, and create lasting memories for guests.
Guest Background: Etta Dunnemann and Visit Dark Skies
Etta Dunnemann brings a unique blend of expertise in lighting design and a passion for preserving the natural night sky. Her journey into the hospitality sector was inspired by the dark sky movement, a global initiative aimed at reducing light pollution to protect celestial views for future generations. Etta recounts her transformative experiences in various dark sky parks, which ignited her desire to help others recreate these awe-inspiring moments for their guests.
"I'm a lighting expert, lighting designer... I was aware of the amount of light pollution, how light pollution is raising every year, which is really a lot. So I knew stargazing related travel was about to become something and actually this year it has become trend number one in Booking.com trend report." [01:45]
Recognizing the rising trend in stargazing travel—evidenced by Booking.com's latest trend report—Etta sought to create a digital product that allows hosts to effortlessly integrate stargazing experiences into their offerings. Her mission was to enable hosts, especially those in remote regions, to capitalize on this burgeoning interest without requiring extensive astronomical knowledge or resources.
Service Overview: Enhancing Hospitality with Stargazing
Etta’s core product is a 30-minute audio experience designed to guide guests through a serene stargazing session. This ready-made solution includes:
- Audio File: A curated 30-minute audio guide that leads guests through the stargazing experience.
- Marketing Materials: A comprehensive package that hosts can use to promote the activity.
- Implementation Support: Guidance on setting up the experience, including distributing QR codes for easy access to the audio stream.
"They lay down for 30 minutes and look into the sky constantly and listen to the audio and it helps them immerse themselves in the night sky." [05:16]
This streamlined setup allows hosts to offer a unique and immersive activity with minimal investment—often taking just two hours to implement. Guests can participate by scanning a QR code, streaming the audio on their smartphones, and enjoying a guided celestial experience without the need for extensive equipment or expertise.
Impact on Guests: Creating Memorable Experiences
The integration of Visit Dark Skies' stargazing experience offers guests a transformative and memorable activity. Etta highlights several key benefits:
- Lifetime Memories: Encourages guests to disconnect from their daily routines and engage deeply with nature, fostering unforgettable moments.
- Uniqueness: Provides an unusual and distinctive activity that stands out from typical hospitality offerings.
- Immersive Experience: The 30-minute duration allows guests’ eyes to adapt to the darkness, revealing a multitude of stars and creating a three-dimensional view of the night sky.
"So you have an activity you need. No guide, no knowledge about the stars. You can just give the QR code to your guests and they can stream the audio from their smartphone." [05:34]
Guests who participate in this experience are likely to share their positive impressions, potentially attracting more visitors through word-of-mouth and enhancing the property's reputation.
Overcoming Challenges: Persistence and Adaptation
Etta candidly discusses the challenges she faced while establishing Visit Dark Skies, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourism industry's downturn posed significant hurdles, but Etta leveraged this period to refine her product and support other founders with digital tools.
"The pandemic... nobody wanted to talk about the stars. So, yeah, I created products during that time, did live translations and worked my way forward." [07:07]
As the industry rebounds, Etta identifies visibility as the current challenge. With the stargazing trend gaining momentum, she aims to scale her business by increasing awareness and reaching more global clients.
Insights and Trends: The Future of Hospitality Experiences
Etta shares valuable insights from the ITB International Tourism Fair and a recent Google keynote, emphasizing the importance of:
- Short Videos: Increasing demand for concise visual content that provides quick impressions.
- Inspiration Searches: Guests are actively seeking inspirational content and planning their activities in advance.
"For hosts, it's not enough to offer accommodation. You also need to inspire people somehow to come to the place." [11:03]
These trends highlight the necessity for hosts to blend accommodation with engaging experiences that captivate and inspire guests, positioning stargazing as a prime example of such an offering.
Practical Tips for Hosts: Maximizing Stargazing Opportunities
Addressing practical concerns, Etta offers advice on managing cloud cover and identifying suitable locations:
- Cloud Radar Apps: Utilize apps like Reganradar to predict cloud cover with high accuracy, allowing hosts to seize clear-night opportunities even in typically cloudy regions like the UK.
- Alternative Activities: Promote complementary activities such as sleeping outdoors, which can be enjoyable even with occasional cloud cover.
- Light Pollution Mapping: Use tools like lightpollutionmap.info to assess the suitability of a location for stargazing activities, ensuring minimal light pollution and optimal celestial views.
"If you have never looked on it, the light pollution map is a great place where you can see if your area, your location is actually good to be marketed." [15:38]
These strategies empower hosts to effectively implement and market stargazing experiences, regardless of their geographic challenges.
Advice for Aspiring Solopreneurs: Lessons from Etta’s Journey
Reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey, Etta imparts crucial advice for those looking to start their own ventures:
"I would maybe start early to go into market... just put it out into market, get feedback, put it out again and just sell it." [10:27]
She emphasizes the importance of early market entry and iterative feedback loops over excessive planning. This approach facilitates quicker adaptation and alignment with market needs, fostering a more responsive and successful business model.
Conclusion: Embracing the Stars in Hospitality
Etta Dunnemann's Visit Dark Skies offers a transformative approach to enhancing guest experiences through the natural beauty of the night sky. By providing an easy-to-implement stargazing experience, hosts can differentiate their properties, attract more direct bookings, and create lasting memories for their guests. This episode of The Boostly Podcast underscores the value of innovative experiences in the hospitality industry and offers actionable insights for hosts looking to elevate their offerings.
Connect with Etta Dunnemann
For hosts interested in integrating Visit Dark Skies into their properties, Etta Dunnemann can be reached through the following channels:
- Website: visitdarkskies.com (Customer Page)
- Host Information: visitdarkskies.com/sky
- LinkedIn: Etta Dunnemann
- Instagram: @visitdarkskies
"Go deep into relationships, into nature, into the sky." [18:10]
*Tune into The Boostly Podcast for more insights and strategies to boost your direct bookings and revolutionize your hospitality business.