NORTHERN LIGHTS TOURISM Unmatched solar activity in 2025 boosts traffic

Once an elusive phenomenon limited to hardcore adventurers and scientists, the Northern Lights also known as Aurora Borealis, have become a major driver of global tourism. As more travellers seek out this celestial spectacle, the demand for unique experiences in remote, offthe-beaten-path destinations is soaring, reshaping the global travel industry in unexpected ways. More so this year as 2025 is said to be a rare year with unprecedentedly high levels in the Polar regions.

- Masrat Nabi

Aurora tourism or the pursuit of witnessing the mesmerising Northern Lights, has transformed from a niche adventure into a global travel phenomenon. Once reserved for scientists and extreme explorers, it now attracts millions of travellers seeking an unforgettable celestial experience. With solar activity set to peak in 2025, demand is soaring for destinations like Alaska, Russia, Norway, Finland and Iceland, driving innovation in immersive tours while emphasising the need for sustainable practices.

Aurora tourism has a long history, though it remained niche for most of the 20th century. The first recorded accounts of people travelling specifically to see the Northern Lights date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Early tourists were primarily scientists, explorers, and wealthy travellers fascinated by the natural world.

The earliest documented aurora tours began in Tromsø in Norway, and Lapland in Finland in the early 1900s. These areas, located well within the Arctic Circle, offered consistent aurora activity and attracted visitors looking for adventure. In the 1920s and 1930s, British travel companies started offering organised trips to Norway to view the Northern Lights, marking the first commercial aurora tours.

However, it was not until the 1970s and 1980s that aurora tourism gained momentum, thanks to advances in air travel and an increasing public interest in natural phenomena. Iceland became a key destination during this period, as its tourism industry began to promote the Northern Lights as a unique selling point. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Finland pioneered the concept of glass-roofed igloos, revolutionising aurora tourism by making it possible to view the lights in comfort.