And now, private homeowners are jumping on the trend, offering their ranches, farms and even backyards for last-minute eclipse junkies. Some states, like Oregon, where the total solar eclipse will first be visible, are experiencing a huge influx of tourists. Camping reservations in small towns in Illinois or Kentucky are up nearly 3,000 percent thanks to the total solar eclipse, says Gast. Ravasio admits that at first, the company was skeptical about marketing themselves around the total solar eclipse in 2017. Some small towns in the path of totality reached out directly to the site, to offer backyards, fields and public parks for interested parties.

Source: Forbes August 15, 2017 19:41 UTC