Editor’s note: The new issue of Iceland Insider's print issue is out and ready to pick up if you are in Iceland or read in a digital format online (see link below). Here is my column from the new issue.
According to a recently published survey conducted by the Icelandic Tourist Board, a considerable number of tourists visiting Iceland, or 40 percent of the poll’s participants, think that two of the country’s most popular destinations are too crowded compared to other popular spots.
I think this came as a surprise to many locals. Not that this was the visitors’ opinion, but rather that the percentage is so low and that only two places, Geysir geothermal area and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, were mentioned.
For residents and foreign Icelandophiles, who have been visiting the country regularly for years, the crowd at many of the key destinations can feel quite overwhelming. For the newcomer, however, it probably looks more or less like business as usual. It might always have been like this.
It all comes down to expectations. We have all been tourists and visited places and sights in the company of many others. Last October, I walked New York’s fantastic High Line public park with my family and thousands of others on a beautiful sunny Saturday. It was extremely crowded but it was a great day. We would not have missed it for the world. But then we also sought out other paths less travelled in the city. Often it’s the little things that are the greatest sources of experience and memories.
Similarly in Iceland, we now have hotspots that will always be crowded with people. If that bothers you, skip them. We still have plenty of places that can make you feel like you are the only person on the planet. Iceland is a big country, and the human hand has shaped less than 5 percent of it. Seek out your own secret canyon or waterfall.
That said, tourism could wreak havoc if left unchecked. It is important to find a balance between tourists, residents, and nature preservation. That is the joint responsibility of the state, local governments, and the travel industry itself.
If not, Iceland could become a victim of its success.
Editor’s note: The new issue of Iceland Insider's print issue is out and ready to pick up if you are in Iceland or read in a digital format online (see link below). Here is my column from the new issue.
According to a recently published survey conducted by the Icelandic Tourist Board, a considerable number of tourists visiting Iceland, or 40 percent of the poll’s participants, think that two of the country’s most popular destinations are too crowded compared to other popular spots.
I think this came as a surprise to many locals. Not that this was the visitors’ opinion, but rather that the percentage is so low and that only two places, Geysir geothermal area and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, were mentioned.
For residents and foreign Icelandophiles, who have been visiting the country regularly for years, the crowd at many of the key destinations can feel quite overwhelming. For the newcomer, however, it probably looks more or less like business as usual. It might always have been like this.
It all comes down to expectations. We have all been tourists and visited places and sights in the company of many others. Last October, I walked New York’s fantastic High Line public park with my family and thousands of others on a beautiful sunny Saturday. It was extremely crowded but it was a great day. We would not have missed it for the world. But then we also sought out other paths less travelled in the city. Often it’s the little things that are the greatest sources of experience and memories.
Similarly in Iceland, we now have hotspots that will always be crowded with people. If that bothers you, skip them. We still have plenty of places that can make you feel like you are the only person on the planet. Iceland is a big country, and the human hand has shaped less than 5 percent of it. Seek out your own secret canyon or waterfall.
That said, tourism could wreak havoc if left unchecked. It is important to find a balance between tourists, residents, and nature preservation. That is the joint responsibility of the state, local governments, and the travel industry itself.
If not, Iceland could become a victim of its success.
