A newly published report by Iceland Music Export shows that concert goers at the annual music festival Iceland Airwaves spent 1,400 million ISK (10.6 million USD / 9.5 million EUR) during their stay, adding add somewhere between 2.700 million and 3.000 million ISK (20,4-22.7 million USD /18.3-20.3million EUR) to the economy of Reykjavík.
Total spending by concertgoers has more the quadrupled in constant 2014 prices since 1999, when the festival was launched. These figures show that Iceland Airwaves, which is the oldest, and largest of the international music festivals held in Iceland, is a major player in the tourism industry. Over half of the guests at Iceland Airwaves in 2014 were foreign visitors.
From the fringe to a major pillar of the Icelandic Economy
Grímur Atlason, who has been the manager of Iceland Airways since 2010, tells Iceland Insider that the growth and success of Iceland Airwaves has led to a real professionalization of the concert industry in Iceland.
Iceland Airways was the only international music festival from 2005, when it was first held, until 2013 when Sonar and ATP were launched, and 2014 when Secret Solstice was first held. But there are also a number of smaller festivals, including Eistnaflug in Neskaupsstaður, where I am currently headed to play with Dr. Gunni.
And I see a real transformation. You know, in 1990 I was touring the US with a band called Bless, with dr. Gunni, and we knew jack shit! We were having fun, but we were complete amateurs. And so were basically all other Icelandic bands. Today people know how to hold concerts and how to tour. And there is a lot of people in Iceland who know how to organize real concerts.
An economy built on rock’n' roll
Grímur argues Iceland Airways has proven the enormous importance of the music industry to the Icelandic economy and Icelandic tourism:
I think it is obvious when you look back to 1986, when nobody was visiting Iceland and compare that to today. We can disagree whether this is a good development, but it is obvious, in my mind, that the world discovers Iceland when the Sugarcubes become famous and Björk becomes a global superstar. And the name of Björk was always associated with Iceland.
Sigurrós sounds better than Kaupþing
Grímur points out that festivals like Iceland Airwaves are extremely important for local bands who get into contact with international artists and fans. All the Icelandic bands which have followed in the footsteps of the Sugarcubes and Björk have ensured that new generations of fans hear about Iceland:
I think the impact of pop music is obvious, and I think it is the music industry which got Iceland on the map, so to speak. And I say this with no disrespect to everyone else, who has been working to promote Iceland or people in other creative industries.
Of course it is important that Icelandic nature is used as the stage for some Hollywood movies or Game of Thrones episodes, but the association is not obvious in people‘s mind. People come to see the nature: but where do they first hear of Iceland? For alot of people that is through music.
And Icelandic music sounds much better than Icelandic finance, to tell you the truth!
A newly published report by Iceland Music Export shows that concert goers at the annual music festival Iceland Airwaves spent 1,400 million ISK (10.6 million USD / 9.5 million EUR) during their stay, adding add somewhere between 2.700 million and 3.000 million ISK (20,4-22.7 million USD /18.3-20.3million EUR) to the economy of Reykjavík.
Total spending by concertgoers has more the quadrupled in constant 2014 prices since 1999, when the festival was launched. These figures show that Iceland Airwaves, which is the oldest, and largest of the international music festivals held in Iceland, is a major player in the tourism industry. Over half of the guests at Iceland Airwaves in 2014 were foreign visitors.
From the fringe to a major pillar of the Icelandic Economy
Grímur Atlason, who has been the manager of Iceland Airways since 2010, tells Iceland Insider that the growth and success of Iceland Airwaves has led to a real professionalization of the concert industry in Iceland.
Iceland Airways was the only international music festival from 2005, when it was first held, until 2013 when Sonar and ATP were launched, and 2014 when Secret Solstice was first held. But there are also a number of smaller festivals, including Eistnaflug in Neskaupsstaður, where I am currently headed to play with Dr. Gunni.
And I see a real transformation. You know, in 1990 I was touring the US with a band called Bless, with dr. Gunni, and we knew jack shit! We were having fun, but we were complete amateurs. And so were basically all other Icelandic bands. Today people know how to hold concerts and how to tour. And there is a lot of people in Iceland who know how to organize real concerts.
An economy built on rock’n' roll
Grímur argues Iceland Airways has proven the enormous importance of the music industry to the Icelandic economy and Icelandic tourism:
I think it is obvious when you look back to 1986, when nobody was visiting Iceland and compare that to today. We can disagree whether this is a good development, but it is obvious, in my mind, that the world discovers Iceland when the Sugarcubes become famous and Björk becomes a global superstar. And the name of Björk was always associated with Iceland.
Sigurrós sounds better than Kaupþing
Grímur points out that festivals like Iceland Airwaves are extremely important for local bands who get into contact with international artists and fans. All the Icelandic bands which have followed in the footsteps of the Sugarcubes and Björk have ensured that new generations of fans hear about Iceland:
I think the impact of pop music is obvious, and I think it is the music industry which got Iceland on the map, so to speak. And I say this with no disrespect to everyone else, who has been working to promote Iceland or people in other creative industries.
Of course it is important that Icelandic nature is used as the stage for some Hollywood movies or Game of Thrones episodes, but the association is not obvious in people‘s mind. People come to see the nature: but where do they first hear of Iceland? For alot of people that is through music.
And Icelandic music sounds much better than Icelandic finance, to tell you the truth!
