States, Businesses Gear Up for 2024 Solar Eclipse Tourism Boom

The eagerly awaited total solar eclipse slated for April 8, marking the first such event in the United States in seven years, has sparked intense preparations among states and businesses alike. With an estimated 3.7 million individuals expected to travel for the celestial spectacle, stakeholders are gearing up for what promises to be a lucrative tourism opportunity.

Delta Airlines swiftly responded to the overwhelming demand, announcing an additional flight along the eclipse’s path from Texas to Detroit after the initial flight sold out within a mere 24 hours. Notably, the announcement of the first flight triggered a staggering 1,500% surge in search queries for Delta flights from Austin to Detroit.

In a bid to capitalize on the event, Smithsonian Journeys, the travel arm of the renowned Smithsonian Museum, is offering five-day trips priced at $5,695 to Texas Hill Country, San Antonio, and the outskirts of Austin, providing travelers with a unique vantage point to witness the total solar eclipse. Similarly, astronomy magazine Sky & Telescope has collaborated with Insight Cruises to offer a 15-day cruise to Mexico that coincides with the eclipse, with prices starting at $2,300.

While a partial eclipse will be visible to a vast majority of individuals in the lower 48 states, the path of totality—where the moon completely obscures the sun—will only be visible in 15 states, including Texas, Illinois, New York, Arkansas, Ohio, Maine, and select parts of Michigan and Tennessee. In a bid to extend the eclipse tourism experience into a full-fledged vacation, states like New York are actively encouraging eclipse tourists to prolong their stay.

Anticipating a monumental surge in tourism, the Arkansas state House of Representatives has forecasted that the eclipse will mark the largest tourism event in the state’s history, with an expected influx of around 2 million visitors. As a testament to this, twenty out of the twenty-one state parks situated in the eclipse’s trajectory have already sold out of nightly accommodations during the event period.

Kentucky is bracing for an estimated 150,000 visitors and has advised employers to consider implementing flexible work schedules to alleviate potential traffic congestion. Meanwhile, Vermont is expecting a varying range of visitors, estimating that between 20,000 and 120,000 individuals will flock to the state for the eclipse.

Outside the path of totality, an additional 3.7 million people are projected to travel to Mexico, Canada, and the states that fall within the eclipse’s trajectory, as reported by the Great American Eclipse tracking organization. This figure supplements the 31 million individuals within the eclipse states who are anticipated to participate in the event.

Reflecting on the economic impact of the last total solar eclipse in the U.S. on August 21, 2017, which traversed 14 states, states such as Nebraska witnessed an estimated $127 million in economic impact, with over 708,000 visitors, 87% of whom hailed from out-of-state. South Carolina reportedly experienced nearly $270 million in economic impact from 1.6 million visitors, while Wyoming played host to 473,000 visitors who collectively spent $167 million.

NASA’s prediction of a larger audience for the 2024 eclipse is based on the fact that it will traverse more states, boast a wider path, and pass through more densely populated areas compared to its 2017 predecessor.

Notably, various companies also capitalized on the 2017 total solar eclipse, with Krispy Kreme offering “eclipsed” donuts, Royal Caribbean organizing a special cruise, Denny’s serving up $4 all-you-can-eat “moon-shaped pancakes” on eclipse day, and Warby Parker distributing free eclipse viewing glasses, resulting in a significant uptick in digital engagement.

Looking ahead, the next total solar eclipse in North America is not expected until 2033, when it will be visible only in Canada, followed by another in 2044, which will be visible in the contiguous U.S.