The Norwegian islands of Svalbard, an archipelago some 500 miles north of the mainland, is at risk of overcrowding as visitors arrive to see a rare total eclipse of the sun on March 20, .
Christin Kristoffersen, mayor of Longyearbyen, Svalbard鈥檚 2,500-person settlement, told Reuters she expected 1,500 visitors for the eclipse. The attraction is understandable since both Svelbard and Denmark鈥檚 Faroe Islands are considered ideal locations to view the event, given the islands鈥 low levels of light pollution and position directly in the eclipse鈥檚 path.
But even in visitor-friendly Svalbard, hospitality has its limits.
鈥淪afety comes first, even before the eclipse,鈥 Kristoffersen said. 鈥淲e need to take care of people.鈥
Kristoffersen cited the frosty temperatures typical to the area this time of year, as well as the presence of polar bears. As 国产吃瓜黑料 wrote in 2011, a group of British travelers in Svalbard were visiting the base of Von Postbreen glacier when a polar bear attacked the group, killing one person and seriously injuring four others. On average, people shoot three polar bears in self-defense every year in Svalbard.
While most hotels have been booked for months, some accommodations are still available for people hoping to see the eclipse. Torstein Christiansen, tourism and business manager of Visit Torshavn, told Reuters that the Faroe Islands, whose population of 50,000 expects 8,000 visitors, might be a safer bet. Camping sites, for example, will be opening earlier this year for eclipse watchers who don鈥檛 mind sleeping outdoors.
鈥淎nd we don鈥檛 have polar bears,鈥 Christiansen added.