According to the latest figures from the Icelandic Tourist Board, the number of tourists has increased by 103%, to 1.9 million in the last twelve months, from April 2022 to March 2023. During this time, by far the majority has come from the United States, or just under half a million. The second most came from Great Britain, or 260 thousand. Germans are third, but almost 140 thousand came here, from this most populous country in Europe. The French travellers were almost one hundred thousand, five thousand more than the Poles. It can be expected that a large part of them are not tourists, but people who either work here, or have relatives and friends visiting. But over 25,000 Poles live in Iceland, which is over a third of the 66,000 immigrants living in Iceland. Although Americans are the largest group of tourists, they stay less than other travelers, on average, 6.1 nights. Germans spend the longest time here, almost ten nights on average.
Icelandic Times / Land & Saga went into town, and met some travelers in the city center
Reykjavík 22/05/2023 : A7C : FE 2.5/40mm G
Photographs & text : Páll Stefánsson
