Projecting the solar eclipse's impact on Indiana
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The April 8 total eclipse will make Indiana a top destination, and local tourism leaders say the happening presents an opportunity to bring big money and big love to the Hoosier state.
Why it matters: Indianapolis has managed to muscle its way to the top of multiple tourism lists as the celestial event expected to become a $1 billion economic windfall for the U.S. draws near.
- Indianapolis is its most-booked destination across all of North America for the solar eclipse, per Airbnb data.
The big picture: Cities in the path of totality have been competing for attention from eclipse chasers traveling for the event. Northwest Arkansas, Cleveland and San Antonio are all drawing tourists.
By the numbers: Indiana could see as many as 500,000 visitors for the total eclipse, according to Amy Howell, director of tourism, marketing and communications for the Indiana Destination Development Corporation.
- In the March edition of The Torch, the official newsletter for state employees, Howell said Indiana planners reached out to representatives in South Carolina for an idea of what to expect.
- Howell and her team said they have "high hopes" for Indiana after learning that the economic impact of visitor spending in South Carolina due to the 2017 eclipse was $269 million.
Zoom in: Visit Indy officials have been preparing for Indy's emergence as a top eclipse destination for years, and the hype is building among residents.
- Morgan Snyder, director of public relations at Visit Indy, told Axios that the organization is tracking more than 50 events in the city to celebrate the solar eclipse.
- She added that the eclipse and its universal appeal means the chance to make a strong impression on first-time visitors, and convince them to come back for something else.
What they're saying: "We started this year out as one of Airbnb's top trending cities and we hope to keep that trend going as we continue to work our way through in this epic 2024," Snyder said. "First, an NBA All-Star Weekend. Then we get to welcome the first and second rounds of NCAA March Madness, a total solar eclipse, U.S. Swimming Olympic trials and three nights of Taylor Swift."
Between the lines: While Indianapolis will have already flexed its hosting muscles multiple times this year by time the eclipse rolls around, the event is also going to put a strain on smaller communities with attractive hotel prices and longer periods of totality.
- According to Festival Country Indiana, Johnson County's tourism bureau, towns south of Indianapolis like Franklin and Greenwood are bracing for an influx as their positioning "smack dab in the middle of the path of totality" will provide more than four minutes of totality.
- Ken Kosky, director of Festival Country, believes the event will have an impact of $10 million to $25 million in Johnson County, WRTV reports.
The bottom line: The total eclipse is expected to start at 1:50pm in Indianapolis with totality beginning at 3:06pm. The area will experience a totality duration of 3 minutes and 50 seconds.
- The longest duration is 4 minutes and 28 seconds near Torreón, Mexico, according to NASA.