Despite years of double digit growth in tourism and the number of foreign travelers, Icelanders continue to view foreign travelers positively. The latest poll on attitudes to foreign travelers reveals that the continued growth of tourism has not generated any negative views of foreign travelers. In fact, the opposite is true.
Growing tourism, less negativity
A poll conducted by the polling firm MMR reveals that the share of Icelanders who view foreign travelers positively grows by four percentage points, while the those who view foreign travelers negatively drops one percentage point. The poll found that 68% of Icelanders view foreign travelers positively, compared to 64% in 2017, while only 9% view them negatively, compared to 10% last year, and 12% in 2016.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign travelers who visit Iceland this year is on track to increase by 5% over last year.
The poll found that younger people are more likely than older people to view foreign travelers positively and people with higher incomes were also more positive toward tourism. People who live in Reykjavík and the Capital Region are also more positive toward tourism than those who live in smaller towns and villages around Iceland: 71% of Reykjavík residents are positive toward foreign travelers, compared to 63% outside Reykjavík.
In no sub-group measured in the poll do more than 13% view foreign travelers negatively.
Read more: From the editor: Is there an angry backlash against tourism in Iceland?
The findings of this poll are in line with all other polls on the question: There is no negative backlash against tourism in Iceland. Quite the opposite.
This fact is all the more remarkable because the annual growth in the numbers of foreign travelers has been in the double digits since 2010. In 2016, when 12% of Icelanders viewed foreign travelers negatively, 1.8 million foreign travelers visited Iceland. This year the figure is projected to reach 2,3 million.
Despite years of double digit growth in tourism and the number of foreign travelers, Icelanders continue to view foreign travelers positively. The latest poll on attitudes to foreign travelers reveals that the continued growth of tourism has not generated any negative views of foreign travelers. In fact, the opposite is true.
Growing tourism, less negativity
A poll conducted by the polling firm MMR reveals that the share of Icelanders who view foreign travelers positively grows by four percentage points, while the those who view foreign travelers negatively drops one percentage point. The poll found that 68% of Icelanders view foreign travelers positively, compared to 64% in 2017, while only 9% view them negatively, compared to 10% last year, and 12% in 2016.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign travelers who visit Iceland this year is on track to increase by 5% over last year.
The poll found that younger people are more likely than older people to view foreign travelers positively and people with higher incomes were also more positive toward tourism. People who live in Reykjavík and the Capital Region are also more positive toward tourism than those who live in smaller towns and villages around Iceland: 71% of Reykjavík residents are positive toward foreign travelers, compared to 63% outside Reykjavík.
In no sub-group measured in the poll do more than 13% view foreign travelers negatively.
Read more: From the editor: Is there an angry backlash against tourism in Iceland?
The findings of this poll are in line with all other polls on the question: There is no negative backlash against tourism in Iceland. Quite the opposite.
This fact is all the more remarkable because the annual growth in the numbers of foreign travelers has been in the double digits since 2010. In 2016, when 12% of Icelanders viewed foreign travelers negatively, 1.8 million foreign travelers visited Iceland. This year the figure is projected to reach 2,3 million.
