• by Danielle Oster , Yesterday

Visit Iceland wanted to let skygazing travelers know that the country is the best place to view the Northern Lights. So Iceland’s destination marketing group created a fictional group of aurora borealis aficionados called the “A.U.R.O.R.A.S” (the “Alliance of Ultra Reliable Observers Ready for Aurora Spotting”) to spread the message.

A campaign launched Oct 22 centers around the fictional fanatics, as showcased in a mockumentary-style ad, shot by U.K.-based, Icelandic-born director Arni Thor. In the spot, the group answers questions and provides tips to help audiences get “aurora-ready” ahead of their visit to Iceland, calling on audiences to “Join the A.U.R.O.R.A.S. today.”

The campaign stars comedian Joe Thomas (“Inbetweeners,” “Fresh Meat”) as the group’s founder Nigel, who is looking to recruit new members to expand the group beyond its current headcount of three, and anyone can join. Viewers can head to a campaign microsite to take a “test” to verify their membership. The campaign also includes a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to Iceland.

“At Visit Iceland, we wanted to create something that celebrates both the natural wonder of our destination and the playful, down-to-earth spirit that defines us,” added Oddný Arnarsdóttir, head of Visit Iceland.

The campaign arrives amid a surge in astrotoursim, boosted by an increase in solar activity making the aurora borealis visible in more areas of the U.S. and U.K., and ahead of winter travel season.

According to an October report by tourism company TUI Group, there was a 92% increase in searches for “Iceland” among U.K. travelers, compared to the same period last year. While more people in the U.S. and U.K. might be able to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights, light pollution means they’re not going to get the same kind of view they could have in Iceland.

In addition to offering the kind of dark skies incessantly hard to find across much of the world, the country also sits in an astronomical “sweet spot” for viewing the phenomenon.

 “Between September and April, Iceland experiences long nights and very little light pollution, so it is a great time to visit,” Bragason added. “The darkness extends for up to 20 hours a day in midwinter which gives multiple viewing windows each evening, increasing the odds of catching the lights, even if there are brief clouds.”