Topline
The first total solar eclipse in the U.S. in seven years will happen on April 8, and states and businesses are capitalizing on the eclipse because it’s expected to be a huge tourism opportunity, as up to 3.7 million people are expected to travel for the event.
Key Facts
Delta Airlines announced a second flight in the solar eclipse’s path from Texas to Detroit on Monday after its first flight sold out within 24 hours, noting search results for Delta flights from Austin to Detroit increased by 1,500% after the first flight was announced.
Smithsonian Journeys—the Smithsonian Museum’s travel arm—is offering $5,695, five-day trips to Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state, as well as San Antonio and the outskirts of Austin, where travelers can watch the total solar eclipse.
Astronomy magazine Sky & Telescope teamed up with Insight Cruises to offer a $2,300, 15-day cruise that travels to Mexico and coincides with the total solar eclipse.
Though almost everyone in the lower 48 can see a partial eclipse, the eclipse’s path of totality—where the moon entirely blocks out the sun—will only be visible in 15 states including Texas, Illinois, New York, Arkansas, Ohio, Maine and some parts of Michigan and Tennessee, and some states like New York are encouraging eclipse tourists to extend their trips into “a full vacation.”
The Arkansas state House of Representatives anticipates the eclipse will be “the largest tourism event in Arkansas history,” and expects around 2 million visitors; 20 of the 21 state parks that will be in the eclipse’s path have sold out of nightly stays during this time.
Kentucky expects 150,000 visitors will travel into the state for the eclipse and advised employers to consider flexible schedules to combat traffic congestion, while Vermont estimates between 20,000 and 120,000 people will visit.
Big Number
3.7 million. That’s up to how many people outside of the eclipse’s path will travel to Mexico, Canada and the states that will witness the eclipse, according to eclipse tracking organization Great American Eclipse. This adds on to the already 31 million people within eclipse states that GAE expects to participate.
Key Background
The most recent total solar eclipse in the U.S. was on Aug. 21, 2017, and its path of totality went through 14 states. The states within its path made millions of dollars from the tourism it brought. Nebraska estimated $127 million in economic impact from the 2017 total solar eclipse, with over 708,000 visitors coming for the event—87% were from out-of-state. South Carolina reportedly has almost $270 million in economic impact from 1.6 million people who traveled to or within the state to see the eclipse. Around 473,000 people traveled to Wyoming for the eclipse and spent $167 million. About 215 million Americans watched the eclipse—both partially and in totality—either in person or electronically. Because this year’s eclipse will pass through more states, has a wider path than the previous one and passes through more densely populated areas, NASA predicts more people will witness the event. Several companies also took advantage of the 2017 total solar eclipse: Krispy Kreme sold its glazed donuts “eclipsed” with chocolate glaze for the first time, Royal Caribbean held a special cruise timed with the eclipse, Denny’s sold $4 all-you-can-eat “moon-shaped pancakes” on the day of the eclipse and Warby Parker gave away free eclipse viewing glasses, resulting in 41% of all its digital content engagement between July 21, 2017 and Aug. 21, 2017 being related to the eclipse.
Tangent
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth and completely blocks the face of the sun. The phenomenon will last up to four-and-a-half minutes, and will start in Mexico around 11 a.m. local time before moving up the path of totality to Canada. During the eclipse, some viewers in Mexico and Canada will also be able to see a phenomenon called a “double diamond ring,” which happens when the sky turns dark, causing two slivers of the Sun to suddenly flash and then extinguish before it’s completely engulfed by the moon. The next North American total solar eclipse won’t happen until 2033—when it will only be visible in Canada—and then again in 2044, when it will be visible in the contiguous U.S.
Further Reading
Solar Eclipse Brings Rare Double Diamond Ring: Here’s How, And Where, To Watch (Forbes)
