The total solar eclipse is only 10 days away, and lodging is on everyone's minds. With a limited number of hotels in rural towns located in the path of totality, local residents are trying their luck and listing their homes on sites such as Airbnb.
"As people get more and more used to online advertisements through websites such as Airbnb and VRBO, there's been more of an increase in demand," said Spencer Henderson, local property manager. "...but I think the solar eclipse is what has really pushed a lot of people into making that decision to list their properties."
Weiser resident Rhonda Cannon is one of them. She recently listed three bedrooms in her home on Airbnb for $300 each.
"I will not do this on a full-time basis," Cannon said. "I like my space and my privacy, but it is a rare occasion, it's a special event, so we're going to take advantage of that. Then, when the eclipse is over, this will be over."
And she's not alone.
Idaho's Airbnb guest arrivals have spiked 450 percent for the solar eclipse -- the biggest night ever for Airbnb in the state.
In Idaho, more than 8,300 bookings have been made for the event on Airbnb alone; and there are still listings available in the Payette/Weiser area.
Boise-based property manager, Spencer Henderson, listed his family's cabin in Cascade. It was booked through Airbnb for the solar eclipse a year in advance.
"The family that's coming to town, we spoke to them a little bit," Henderson said. "They're coming from the U.K. and they got a really good deal."
