Hotel prices in Europe surge ahead of the solar eclipse
An influx of people hoping to see the total solar eclipse on August 12 has sharply driven up hotel prices at popular viewing spots in Europe.
The frenzy is most noticeable in Iceland and Spain, The Guardian writes.
In Reykjavik, the average room on the night of the eclipse costs tourists about $793 — nearly twice as much as on the same day a year ago. According to Lighthouse Intelligence, the increase amounted to 98%. Prices jumped even more in the Spanish city of A Coruña — by 135%, to roughly $451 per night. In Bilbao, hotels added 67%, in Santiago de Compostela 34%, and in Mallorca 24%.
Spanish authorities expect about 460,000 foreign tourists to come to the country specifically for the eclipse. In many cases, accommodations in small towns along the path of totality were booked several months ago.
The total phase will be visible in a wide band across northern and central Spain, as well as in parts of Greenland and Iceland. In other areas of Western Europe, residents will see a deep partial eclipse. For continental Europe, this is the first total solar eclipse in two decades. In Spain, the maximum phase is expected roughly between 8:26 p.m. and 8:33 p.m. local time — shortly before sunset.
