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NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — People from all over the world are expected to travel to the Western New York area for the April 8 total solar eclipse.
Many school districts have already announced that students will have the day off, and hotels are booked or filling up quickly.
According to Destination Niagara USA, Niagara Falls is expected to see a significant increase in tourism due to the eclipse, bringing nearly $1 million to the local economy.
Sara Harvey is the Director of Communications for Destination Niagara USA. She says even Nik Wallenda’s tightrope performance didn’t draw the crowd she expected.
“I think people all over the world are excited about this eclipse. People called eclipse chasers come and go to these events, so being able to see the ellipse over Niagara Falls is… It’s definitely on my bucket list,” Harvey says.
She said many hotels are already booked or filling up quickly, campgrounds are scheduled to open early for the season and people are renting out their homes.
7 News also spoke with Jason Berger, owner of Skydive the Falls. Berger said dozens of people have signed up to skydive during the eclipse near the falls.
“There’s always a lot of new and different things going on in the skydiving world, and this is going to add to that new and different thing,” Berger says.
He said that as soon as he announced that he would offer skydiving during the solar eclipse over Niagara Falls, it sold out in just over seven minutes.
Stephen Hatzis of Queens is one of dozens of people skydiving that day. This is the second time he has jumped during a solar eclipse, his last being in Oregon in 2017. He expects the work will be even more spectacular with views from above and below.
“Just being able to do that on top of a waterfall is incredible…The last time there was an eclipse, we were in the middle of farmland,” Hatzis says.
Skydive the Falls says tickets for the skydive are sold out, but there are still tickets available for the viewing party at the airport. For more information, please visit his website here.
Click here for Niagara Falls tourist information.
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