Surging demand for accommodations in Dallas during a rare upcoming cosmic event has hotel rates soaring.
Hotel occupancy in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has already reached 43% for April 7 as travelers aim to get front-row seats to a total solar eclipse. As indicated by Amadeus, a tech company specializing in travel and hospitality, this rapid growth suggests that occupancy will rise by more than 500%.
“It’s very unusual to see these high numbers this far in advance. Solar enthusiasts need to book early to avoid missing out,” explained Katie Moro, vice president of data partnerships and hospitality, according to The Dallas Morning News.
This increase in demand already has rates at DFW hotels skyrocketing by 390%, an average of $139 more per night compared to last year.
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, Dallas and other Texas cities lie directly in the projected path of the eclipse on April 8. The eclipse begins for Dallas area viewers at 12:23 p.m. and ends at 3:02 p.m., with totality occurring from 1:40 to 1:44 p.m.
Several establishments, such as the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Virgin Hotels Dallas, and Sheraton Dallas, are reportedly planning special “eclipse packages” to lure guests through perks, including eclipse eyewear, spa treatments, and more.
“I expect Dallas hospitality to provide an abundance of events or activations tailored around it,” said Brian Booth, the Ritz-Carlton’s director of sales and marketing, according to the DMN. “During the last eclipse in the fall, we saw how much people enjoyed going somewhere special to view it, even if that meant paying to do so. I foresee many Dallas hotels getting creative.”
For that rare “ring of fire” eclipse, Texans are putting on several special events — even skydiving.
Still, the recent increase in demand for accommodations in April is not limited to the metroplex or larger cities in the Lone Star State. A report from Airbnb on 2024 travel trends reported a considerable uptick — nearly 300% in some cases — in users searching for accommodations in smaller cities and towns along the path of April’s eclipse. The Central Texas cities of Waco, Kerrville, and Marble Falls were cited as among the most popular destinations.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the organizer of the 2024 Texas Eclipse Festival is aiming to pull out all the stops at an eclipse-centered extravaganza set to take place at Reveille Peak Ranch in Burnet from April 5 to 9. The festival will feature musical performances, art installations, and experiential installations put on by groups worldwide.
