Few phenomena excite the American public like aliens. And with last month’s publication of the U.S. government’s highly anticipated Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena document–referred colloquially the “flying objects” report–alien-themed businesses are predicting a surge in tourism, and with it, rocketing sales.
“People will start coming after they read the report,” says Cindy Campbell, the owner of the Atomic Inn, an alien-themed hotel located a few miles from Area 51, a United States Air Force facility, formally known as the Nevada Test and Training Range. The site was developed during the Cold War as a testing and aircraft development facility, and has since become the seat of popular UFO conspiracy theories. “Area 51 is extremely famous, and people will travel here just to be close to it,” she says.