Mauna Loa’s eruption has drawn thousands of visitors and is turning into a tourism boon for the town of Hilo. Some hotels in and around Hilo are becoming fully booked in what is normally a slower time of the year for business. Helicopter tours of Mauna Loa are also in high demand by tourists and journalists. This week thousands of cars have created traffic jams on Route 200, known as the Saddle Road, which connects the cities of Hilo on the east side of Hawaii Island and Kailua-Kona on the west side.
