Travel To Iceland Surges In 2017

The number of Americans flying roundtrip to the northern island nation this year has increased by 42%, to 62,300 so far in 2017, according to a new report by Airlines Reporting Corp (ARC).  

The numbers are based on tickets purchased from 12,265 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies, for travel any time in 2017.

Additionally, Iceland bookings made through the ARC MarketPlace, a website that provides travel agents with activities and tours for their clients, have more than doubled, from 560 in 2016 to over 1,200 in 2017.  

Tourists have been flocking to see the Northern Lights, waterfalls and other natural wonders Iceland has to offer for the past few years. The number of tourists doubled, from 566,000 to 1.8 million between 2011 and 2016, and 2.3 million visitors are expected this year by Iceland’s tourism board.  

Iceland’s national and regional tourism boards have recently implemented marketing campaigns to promote lesser-known regions and cultural experiences, like the Blue Lagoon in Reykjanes, in an effort to spread out the influx of tourists to the capital Reykjavik.