Oklahoma sees tourism boom due to total solar eclipse

Thursday, April 18, 2024

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) announced it is celebrating a safe and successful total solar eclipse after southeast Oklahoma reportedly hosted thousands and generated millions in economic activity.

Oklahoma was the best place in the country to watch the 2024 total solar eclipse, said Shelley Zumwalt, Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife & Heritage and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.

“Visitors from over 40 states and multiple countries chose to experience the eclipse in one of our State Parks and generated an estimated $15 million.

Events like the eclipse underscore the region’s capacity to attract and sustain substantial visitation, particularly as travel and tourism for experiences is on the rise.

We’re looking forward to building on this momentum to bring even more visitors to Oklahoma.”

OTRD reported that in total, visitor activity in the region generated an estimated economic impact of $7 million per day, for a total of $42 million from Thursday, April 4, through Tuesday, April 9.

In that same time frame, Oklahoma State Parks reportedly welcomed 122,674 visitors across seven parks in full or partial totality, generating more than $15 million, or over one-third of the estimated economic impact in the region.

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