A Surge of Interest in Arctic Northern Lights for 2024
SINGAPORE – Travel agencies and hotels are bracing for an influx of visitors keen to chase the mesmerizing northern lights next year. With forecasts predicting more frequent and intense displays of the Aurora Borealis due to heightened solar activity, 2024 is shaping up to be a spectacular year for skywatchers.
Various travel companies have reported a surge in inquiries and bookings for tours and accommodations in prime locations like Finland and Iceland, where these ethereal light shows are most visible. According to travel booking platform Klook, bookings for northern lights tours have skyrocketed sevenfold between August and December 2023, with Singaporean travelers accounting for about ten percent of this increase.
Klook’s spokesperson noted that online traffic for hotels in Finland tripled in the latter half of 2023 compared to earlier months. Jeremiah Wong, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at Chan Brothers Travel, echoed this sentiment, revealing a 30 percent rise in bookings for northern lights trips for 2024 compared to the previous year. “The excitement surrounding 2024 as the most promising year for northern lights viewing in over two decades has certainly spurred interest,” he said.
Chan Brothers offers eight tours to northern Europe, including a 13-day journey to Finland’s Lapland, starting at around $7,488. Meanwhile, Klook features 14 different packages for those heading to Iceland and Finland, including a “Magical Auroras” tour that lasts three to four hours for approximately US$94.25 (S$127).
Hotels in these renowned northern lights hotspots have also noted a global uptick in interest. A spokesperson from the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in northern Norway confirmed a significant increase in bookings directly related to the northern lights. Similarly, Ryan Sheldon, Experience Director at Sheldon Chalet in Alaska, shared that inquiries have risen as well. “Everyone is talking about the northern lights. Recently, our guests have been able to catch sightings three out of four nights,” he said.
The anticipated increase in northern lights activity can be attributed to the solar cycle reaching its peak in 2024. According to NASA, heightened solar activity generates energy and particles that travel towards Earth via solar winds, especially during solar storms. At the poles, these particles interact with atmospheric gases, creating the spectacular light displays known as auroras.
Dr. Abel Yang from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Physics explained, “A solar cycle lasts about 11 years, with variations in sunspot activities. At the solar maximum, we see larger sunspots that can persist for over a month. These sunspots indicate heightened solar activity, meaning stronger solar winds and, correspondingly, more robust auroras.”
Among those planning to chase the lights is 32-year-old civil servant Jacqueline Phua. “I heard about the solar activity increase in 2024 and decided this is the year to see the auroras,” she said. Phua is prepared to spend around $7,000 at the end of the year and is weighing options between Norway and Iceland. “Seeing the northern lights has long been on my bucket list. I hesitated before due to costs, but I believe this experience will be worth every penny.”
Creative director Ian Ketsumasa, 35, who celebrated his wedding in Iceland last November, reflects on his magical encounter with the auroras. The couple spent two weeks in the country and unexpectedly witnessed the lights five nights in a row. “The scenery was breathtaking, and it was always a destination we wanted to explore. Catching the auroras made the experience unforgettable,” he said.
As excitement builds for the upcoming year, it seems that the allure of the northern lights is firmly on the radar of travelers worldwide. Whether for the thrill of the chase or the desire for a memorable adventure, 2024 promises to be a remarkable year for witnessing one of nature’s most enchanting phenomena.