Eclipse tourism sends short-term rental occupancy rates soaring

Americans traveling to areas near the path of totality for Monday's solar eclipse have sent occupancy rates at short-term rentals soaring, according to a report by rental tracking firm AirDNA.

The total solar eclipse – which NASA projects will begin Monday around 11:07 a.m. PDT on Mexico's Pacific coast before crossing through 15 U.S. states and heading into Canada – has caused occupancy rates to surge to about 88% in cities near the eclipse's path, per the report.

Over 110,000 short-term rental listings are active along the eclipse's path of totality, while about 44 million people live along the route and hundreds of millions more live within driving distance. Occupancy rates for Sunday, April 7 – the eve of the eclipse – have exceeded 90% in some cities along or near the path of totality.

"This rare astronomical event has significantly impacted the short-term rental (STR) market. Cities and towns located within and near the path of the eclipse have experienced a surge in demand as millions seek the perfect vantage point to view the event," AirDNA wrote.

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Parts of 15 states will experience the eclipse: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Big cities and small towns alike have seen a boom in bookings at short-term rentals near the eclipse's path. 

Austin, Texas, had the most listings for April 7 with 9,616 and an occupancy rate of 86.9, while Dallas had 95.3% occupancy for its 4,761 listings. Cleveland had 97.5% occupancy on 2,405 listings.

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Buffalo, New York, had a staggering 98.2% occupancy rate for its 1,297 listings, while Rochester, New York, had an occupancy rate of 97.1% on 1,115 listings. Killeen, Texas, had 523 listings that drew a 98.3% occupancy rate.

Among the smaller towns seeing an influx of short-term renters on April 7, Jeffersonville, Vermont, had the highest occupancy rate at 99.2% of 512 listings.

Niagara Falls, New York, had a 98% occupancy rate on 505 listings while Lake Placid, New York, had a 97.3% occupancy rate on 754 listings.

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AirDNA's report showed the strongest uptick in demand for short-term rentals within the path of totality, experiencing a demand surge of 207.4% from a year ago – although listings in eclipse states outside the path were also significantly higher and were up 22.4% from the same week last year.

The report noted that those figures show "the high value that guests place on the total eclipse experience," as well as the "strong appeal of partial eclipse views."

AirDNA added that the eclipse experience can be informative for short-term rental owners looking to capitalize on future events in their area through dynamic pricing tailored to the value their property can provide.

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"Although the opportunity to capitalize on this specific eclipse has passed (everyone's pretty much locked and loaded!), it's crucial to understand the emerging patterns. Short-term rental owners can use this knowledge to prepare for future events, develop pricing strategies, and leverage local attractions or events to enhance occupancy and revenue," AirDNA added.