Two small cities in rural Oklahoma are welcoming an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 individuals to Beavers Bend State Park as guests come to witness the photo voltaic complete eclipse.
Usually, the cities of Damaged Bow and Hochatown have year-round populations of two,500 and 150, respectively.
Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Shelley Zumwalt instructed ABC Information that McCurtain County has been getting ready for a few 12 months and a half, having conferences with state and native public security officers and different companies to cope with the inflow of tourists and site visitors.
Folks look ahead to the entire photo voltaic eclipse to start in Beavers Bend State Park in Oklahoma on April 8. 2024.
She mentioned she’s met individuals who got here to the state park from throughout the U.S. and from Europe, and mentioned she hopes it results in individuals returning after the eclipse.
“Simply immediately we have had individuals from Norway, Denmark, California, Hawaii, Tennessee that I’ve simply seen passing by our lodge this morning, which is phenomenal,” Zumwalt mentioned.
“However, in a broader sense, I believe that post-pandemic, lots of people are in search of holidays that form of take them out of the town and to perhaps extra of a quieter place and we now have a variety of that in Oklahoma and see the great response from simply this occasion has actually solidified in my thoughts that we now have one thing particular,” she continued.
