Sydney and western NSW are counting down to their first total solar eclipse in 171 years and it’s expected to deliver a major boost to the visitor economy.

This rare astronomical event will take place on 22 July 2028, with the moon, Earth and the sun perfectly aligning to plunge parts of NSW into almost four minutes of twilight, while the horizon is expected to glow with a 360-degree “sunset”.

The maximum effect of the eclipse is expected at 12.55pm (AEST), according to NASA’s eclipses database.

Sydney will sit directly in the path of totality, which will extend to Lake Macquarie in the north to Kiama in the south. The path will also extend across the state to northeast of Dubbo and onwards in a diagonal line across northern and northwestern Australia.

The next total eclipse over Sydney will not occur until 2858.

Around 20,000 interstate and global visitors flocked to Western Australia’s Exmouth in 2023 to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse, with the NSW event expected to attract many more travellers due to its accessibility.

Interest in solar tourism has been rapidly growing in recent years. The 2024 eclipse in the United States saw hotel vacancies in the path-of-totality cities fall below one per cent.

Millions of travellers have been estimated to have flocked to Spain to watch an eclipse earlier this month, with Spain’s Ministry of Economy estimating a tourism boost worth $566 million from the event.

Room rates in Iceland’s capital Reykjavík on the night of the eclipse surged by more than 140 per cent year-on-year according to data group Lighthouse. Short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb were also boosted, with rates up 53.7 per cent year-on-year for properties in the path of totality.

Numerous cruise lines launched sold-out trips to view the eclipse off the coasts of Spain and Iceland.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is already offering selected areas for private hire through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process; while Sydney Harbour Specialists has opened a waitlist for harbour cruises.

“Total solar eclipses consistently attract huge international attention and accommodation and viewing locations within the eclipse path tend to sell out years in advance,” Eclipse Travel product manager Mauricio Zarzar told Travel Weekly.

Pictured main: The total solar eclipse over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on 12 August 2026. Credits: NASA/Bill Ingalls