Tourism Iceland Flashcards
Tourism definition
Travel away from home for recreation and pleasure that involves at least 1 overnight stay
How many tourists were there in 2008
560 000
How many tourists were there in 2018
2.5 million
By how much did the growth in tourism increase from 2008 to 2018
2 million
Reasons for increase in tourism
- cheap flights
- short distance from europe
- perfect stop off point across atlantic
- more people can afford holidays
- people have more holidays
- people want to travel to new and exotic countries
Attractions in Iceland
Golden circle route
- thingvellir national park
- geysirs
- gullfoss waterfall
Economic benefits
- tourism revenue in 2018 = 4 billion
- employs 30 000 people
- many jobs are created
- growth in income and more taxes paid by tourist industries
Tourism revenue in 2018
4 billion
Amount of people employed in tourism sector
30 000 people
Social benefits
- export tradition and culture
- encourages preservation of natural heritage sites
Economic disadvantages
- money gained from tourism is not spread evenly
- Reykjavik gets 50% of all overnight stays
- seasonal employment
- overdependant on tourism? Covid
- overcrowding on golden circle
Percentage of all overnight stays in Reykjavik
50%
Environmental problems
- poor air quality
- limited space
- footpath erosion
- vandalism
- overcrowding
Social impacts
- loss of local tradition
- local businesses lost to americamised services
managing tourism
- measuring tourism impact
- managing sensitive sites
- reducing overcrowding at sites
- improving air quality in reykjavik
managing tourism impact
- Data from an Environmental Assessment Tool assesses the status of protected areas and natural attractions
- Based on the data interventions to safeguard sites and communities are put in place. E.g geothermal river walk and bathing site was closed for public access in 2020.
managing sensitive sites
- Infrastructure at tourist sites is improved
- To manage footpath erosion, authorities build raised footpaths, decking boards and viewing points.
- Iceland has established a specific fund called theTourist Site Protection Fund.The annual budget in 2017 was $4.5 million.
reducing overcrowding at sites
- The Visit Iceland website encourages visitors to go the regions rather than stay just in the Reykjavik area.
improving air quality in Reykjavik
- in 2019 adopted strict law that requires that fuel used by ships sailing within 12 nautical miles of its coast to contain no more than 0.1% sulfur
- Intends to force ships into using lighter, cleaner types of fuels