Solar Eclipse Boosts STR Demand in Spain and Iceland

Key Takeaways

Short-term rental demand is surging in Spain and Iceland ahead of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse
Demand is up 123 percent in Zaragoza, Spain, while Reykjavík is running 44 percent ahead of last year
Spain’s larger rental supply is helping keep prices steadier, while Iceland’s smaller market faces more pressure

Two years after a total solar eclipse sent travelers racing across North America, the same booking rush is now playing out in Spain and Iceland.

Short-term rental demand is climbing sharply ahead of the Aug. 12 eclipse, particularly in destinations that fall inside the path of totality, according to new data from AirDNA.

“The 2026 solar eclipse is creating a unique travel phenomenon in Spain. Travelers are prioritizing inland locations that don’t typically see high August traffic, leading to historic price increases in those regions. It appears that the appeal of this celestial event is effectively drawing tourists into rural markets that are otherwise off the beaten path,” Richie Khandelwal, Co-Founder of PriceLabs told REWire Media in a press release this week.

“With such high pressure on coastal towns and cities, this alternative tourism could be a blueprint to make tourism more sustainable in Spain, spreading demand into regions that don’t usually see the benefits, for activities as diverse as agrotourism or dark-sky tourism,” he added.

Zaragoza, Spain, is seeing the biggest jump, with demand running 123 percent above last year.

Logroño is up 109 percent, while Burgos, Valladolid and León are each seeing increases of more than 60 percent.

The gains are not quite as dramatic in Iceland, but they are still large enough to put pressure on a much smaller supply of vacation rentals. Demand is up 48 percent in Kópavogur and 44 percent in Reykjavík.

Solar eclipse fuels rental demand in Spain, Iceland — © 2026 REWire Media LLC. All rights reserved.

For U.S. hosts, the surge looks familiar.

The April 2024 eclipse pushed short-term rental occupancy above 90 percent in parts of North America, while some destinations saw demand jump by several hundred percent as travelers followed the path of totality.

Spain has more rentals to absorb the eclipse rush

Spain and Iceland may be sharing the same eclipse, but their rental markets are responding very differently.

Spain has a deep supply of short-term rentals spread across cities, coastal destinations and inland towns. That gives travelers more places to stay and makes it harder for one night of exceptional demand to send prices soaring across the entire country.

The path of totality crosses several northern and inland Spanish markets, including Zaragoza, Burgos and León. It will also pass through popular vacation areas such as Palma de Mallorca near sunset.

Madrid and Barcelona sit outside the path, helping steer eclipse travelers toward smaller cities that do not normally compete with Spain’s largest tourism hubs.

Iceland has far fewer listings available. A concentrated wave of eclipse visitors can therefore have a much larger effect on occupancy, nightly rates and the country’s overall STR performance.

AirDNA said Iceland’s limited supply means the surge has the potential to influence the performance of the country’s entire short-term rental market, rather than only a handful of viewing destinations.

The booking spike is another example of how a one-day event can reshape demand far beyond the usual vacation calendar. Concerts, football games and eclipses may be brief, but travelers often turn them into multi-night stays.

For hosts, the opportunity is not simply raising prices for one night. Properties near viewing areas may also see demand before and after the eclipse as guests build longer trips around an event they may never get another chance to see.