Hotels in and around Dunedin, New Zealand, are booking out two years in advance in anticipation of the country’s first total solar eclipse in more than 850 years. The eclipse is scheduled for 22 July 2028, when the moon passes in front of the sun at about 4:17pm. During the event, a shadow band roughly 100 kilometres wide moves across parts of southern New Zealand, taking in locations including Queenstown in the west and Dunedin in the east. Areas within the path experience a period of totality lasting about 2 minutes and 51 seconds, producing brief daytime darkness.
The 2028 event is also described as the first total solar eclipse visible from anywhere in New Zealand since 1965. With the eclipse expected to draw visitors seeking to be within the narrow zone where the eclipse becomes total, accommodation demand is rising well ahead of the date. Overall, coverage highlights both the rarity of the astronomical event and the regional travel impact it is already generating.
