Solar eclipse boosts travel as Americans chase rare celestial event
solar eclipse is proving to be a good omen for travel firms, as some parts of the United States that fall in the «path of totality» see unprecedented demand for lodging from eager Americans waiting to catch a glimpse of the celestial event.
In a total solar eclipse occurring on Monday April 8, the moon will blot out the sun for millions of people in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
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Airbnb listings along the U.S. path of totality, or the narrow strip stretching from Texas to Maine from where people will be able to view the sun's corona, have seen occupancy levels skyrocket to nearly 90%, the vacation rental firm said.
Occupancy for all active rental listings across the path in the United States, Canada and Mexico was at 92.4% for the night of April 7, up sharply from about 30% a few days prior, according to travel data firm AirDNA.
«It is a nice bump in demand in a relatively slow period of the year. Typically April isn't a high point for short-term rental demand,» said Jamie Lane, chief economist at AirDNA.
Short-term rental listings in New Hampshire and Missouri, for example, are seeing demand surge 514% and 338%, respectively, for the week, AirDNA added.
Hotel, rental car and flight bookings have also tripled, data from consultancy firm Navan showed, with room prices in some cities seeing a more than two-fold rise. Niagara Falls, for instance, saw prices
