“The advantage of this is that we are not just having a solar eclipse. There is also some promotional and future marketing value here.”
RANGELEY, Maine — Thousands are expected to flock to western and northern Maine to watch the solar eclipse on April 8. Countless events are planned across the state and are expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars – if not more.
“We started getting inquiries more than four or five years ago,” said Travis Ferland, the owner of the Rangeley Inn. “We had a few cancellations and then they were filled again very quickly.”
According to the Rangeley Chamber of Commerce, all hotels in Rangeley are also fully booked and occasional cancellations are occurring.
“It's a very timely and much-needed innovation for many of these local communities,” said Oak McCoy, assistant professor of economics at the University of New England.
While this winter has been tough on businesses that thrive on winter tourism and recreation, the celestial event provides a big break, McCoy said.
“It's just a compensation for the slightly quieter winter we had, so things seem to balance out in the end,” Ferland said.
The Rangeley Chamber of Commerce estimates that about 20,000 people were in town during the total solar eclipse. Houlton plans 30,000 visitors.
“People offer their camps. People are offering up their rooms in their homes,” said Jane Torres, executive director of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.
Houlton is the last place in the United States where the path of totality will be visible. The city is hosting a three-day event that will provide immediate revenue to the city's accommodation and restaurant industry.
Torres said they not only wanted to create a memorable April experience, but also take the opportunity to show people everything Houlton has to offer.
“Our goal is to have people come back and show people that hospitality exists and that we actually exist up here,” she said.
McCoy said events like these generate revenue that will impact Maine's economy.
“The advantage of this is that we are not just having a solar eclipse. There is also some promotional and future marketing value here,” McCoy said. “This isn’t just a moment of darkness, is it? “It really is an opportunity for us to build a very bright future,” McCoy said.
Don't miss these NEWS CENTER Maine stories
Download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app for the latest news, weather and traffic alerts.
Comments are closed.