Total eclipse will boost Texoma economy
BONHAM, Texas (KTEN) — A total solar eclipse is expected to bring thousands of visitors to Texoma for the April 8 event.
"We're expecting anywhere from 10,000 and 25,000 visitors to come to Bonham, not even Fannin County... not even talking all of Texoma, just our city here," said Kristi Dunbar with the Bonham-Area Chamber of Commerce.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Christina Villegas, owner of Luna Azul Cafe.
This is the first time that cities in North Texas and southern Oklahoma will be in the path of totality in 145 years. The celestial event will begin at 12:25 p.m. and will continue through 3:04 p.m. in Bonham on April 8. The period of totality — when the moon's disc will completely cover the sun — will last for almost 3 minutes starting at 1:43 p.m.
"Almost every hotel room, campsite, RV park, Airbnb... everybody's booked up," Dunbar said.
But how are all of these visitors going to impact the local economy?
"They make hotel reservations; they go out to eat; they fill the local campgrounds," said Pottsboro Library director Renee Nichols.
And how are businesses preparing to welcome this influx of people?
"We're going to make sure that we have enough staff in place; and we're going to make sure that our parking lot is prepared; and we're just ready to serve whoever comes our way," Villegas said.
The Bonham-Area Chamber of Commerce has been working with other city officials to make sure Bonham residents know what to expect.
"The Visitors Center actually included information in the city water bill this past week," Dunbar said.
Texas A&M AgLife Extension reports that states in the path of totality during the last total eclipse in 2017, saw a 222 percent increase in traffic.
"We're encouraging citizens to stock up on their necessities... fill up their gas tanks... weeks in advance," Dunbar advised.
