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| Photo Credit: www.demilked.com |
Iceland, a country
hailed for offering a secluded, otherworldly travel experience, is being
turned into Disneyland, it has been suggested, as new figures show that
the number of American visitors this year will surpass the country’s
population. The capital Reykjavik has been transformed over the last few
years as the number of tourists visiting the island has soared, nearly
all of whom arrive via the city’s airport on the south coast. And
Birgitta Jonsdottir, leader of the anti-establishment Pirate Party,
which could yet form the next government later this month,
is not pleased about the new arrivals. “It’s like the city is not my
city any more,” she said. “It’s like Disneyland downtown.” The exceptional growth of Iceland’s tourism industry is well
documented, with dramatic year-on-year rises since 2010, but 2016 will
mark the first time that the total number of American tourists will be
greater than the number of Icelandic residents. New figures released by the Icelandic Tourist Board
detailing arrivals for 2016 up to the end of September show 325,522
visitors from the US. The Icelandic population is 332,000. The number of US visitors will continue to rise through to
the end of the year, and contribute to the estimated 1,500,000 visitors
from around the world - the figure was 1,353,000 by the end of
September. In 2010, the annual number of global visitors was 459,000;
back in 1996 it was just 200,000. Jonsdottir said her party wanted restrictions on the numbers
of tourists visiting natural sites outside the city, which often lack
basic facilities such as toilets, and would introduce a tax on hotels to
help fund tourism infrastructure. The rush of travellers drawn to the island's glaciers,
geo-thermal pools, extra-terrestrial landscapes, and seasonal Northern
Lights displays has meant the country’s fledgling tourism infrastructure
has been under mounting pressure, while the capital has seen an
increase in hotels and souvenir shops, and rising rental costs for
residents. This month a poll by broadcaster RUV
found that 87 per cent of Icelanders believe the government should
impose larger fees or taxes on tourists. Though the country welcomes the
revenue created – filling the growing hole left by slumps in the
industries of both fishing and aluminium – there is concern over the
burden placed on the country. The government is currently in the middle of a nine-year
tourism strategy that runs to 2020, with a focus on improving
infrastructure while also “protecting and maintaining” tourist sites.
“The development of tourism infrastructure shall aim at protecting
nature, and the tourism strategy shall aim at incorporating the concepts
of sustainability and responsibility for Iceland’s culture and natural
surroundings,” it said. However, it would not have been prepared for the enormous
growth experienced after the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, and
subsequent ash cloud that shut down European airspace for seven days, helped
put the country on the map. It coincided with a PR drive from the
Icelandic tourist board, while its appearance in the HBO series Game of
Thrones provided further encouragement to visit. Since 2010, arrivals have soared. This year alone, the
number of visitors from January to August is up 33 per cent on the same
period in 2015. British visitors over the eight months are up 32 per
cent to 200,000. Tourism officials believe Iceland will welcome two
million visitors a year by 2020. The influx has caused a number of issues for the country.
Attractions around the Golden Circle and south coast have become
increasingly busy, with coach-loads of tourists flocking to see the
Gulfoss waterfall, Thingvellir national park and the Geysir geothermal
park. Iceland’s tourism authority has attempted to educate
visitors of both the risks to their safety and the importance of
maintaining natural sites. In March it launched a course on how to stay
safe in the country, with a spokesperson at the time saying: “The
majority of tourists want to experience nature, and we know that
Icelandic nature must be treated with respect and care.” Photographs posted on social media showing
tourists ignoring safety barriers have not endeared them to the
Icelandic public. Attempts to advertise the appeals of eastern Iceland,
including new direct flights this year
from Discover the World to Egilsstaðir, are designed to take the
pressure off the south-west of the country and Reykjavik’s Keflavik
airport.
The Telegraph Photo
