So, what does a solar eclipse have to do with tourism?

Last week, like millions of people, I found myself fascinated — even mesmerized — by the eclipse in France. Some watched it, some didn’t. But when all is said and done, what does an astronomical event have to do with what we do in tourism?

For me, the answer came from a seven-year-old girl. ❤️

I had the pleasure of watching the eclipse alongside a number of visitors to our destination, including a German family with two children, aged 7 and 12.

The parents didn’t have protective glasses, so of course we shared ours. We started talking while watching the sky together. Their English was considerably better than my German — and their seven-year-old daughter’s English was probably about as good as my German. 😄

At one point, I told her parents that when the next comparable eclipse comes around here, in 2081, their little girl could be a grandmother herself.

She didn’t understand me.

Then her mother translated.

The look of absolute awe on that little girl’s face was priceless. ✨

And suddenly, it wasn’t really about the eclipse anymore.

That, to me, is tourism.

It’s not only about destinations, visitor numbers, hotel nights, attractions or marketing campaigns. Those things matter, of course. But at its best, tourism is about human connection and shared experiences — sometimes between complete strangers who happen to find themselves standing in the same place, looking up at the same sky. 🌍

For a few minutes last night, language, nationality and age really didn’t matter.

We were simply sharing a moment.

And that is exactly why I love what I do. ❤️