Overnight stays in all accommodation in September 2019 were 1,012,500, compared with 1,047,500 in September last year. Overnight stays in hotels and guesthouses were 591,600, thereof 424,100 in hotels and 167,500 in guesthouses. Overnight stays in apartments, youth hostels, campsites etc. were 240,900, and overnight stays through websites such as Airbnb were approximately 180,000.
The number of overnight stays decreased by 3.3% from September last year. There was a 2.5% decrease in hotels and guesthouses, 5.8% decrease in private accommodation through Airbnb etc., and 3.8% decrease in other types of accommodation.
2% decrease in overnight stays at hotels
Overnight stays in hotels in September 2019 were 424,100, which is a 2% decrease from September last year. There was a 2% decrease in the Capital area and 12% in the West and Westfjords. In the Southwest there was a 6% increase and 1% in the East, but in the North and South they remained unchanged. Around 51% of overnight stays in hotels were in the Capital area, or 215.000.
| Overnight stays in hotels | ||||||
| September | October-September | |||||
| 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | |
| Total | 431,415 | 424,066 | -2 | 4,438,937 | 4,401,177 | -1 |
| Capital region | 220,201 | 215,005 | -2 | 2,609,628 | 2,498,745 | -4 |
| Southwest | 31,672 | 33,477 | 6 | 307,772 | 311,135 | 1 |
| West and Westfjords | 33,476 | 29,481 | -12 | 235,311 | 242,433 | 3 |
| Northwest and Northe | 39,839 | 39,733 | 0 | 307,476 | 339,221 | 10 |
| East | 15,421 | 15,525 | 1 | 101,364 | 112,650 | 11 |
| South | 90,806 | 90,845 | 0 | 877,386 | 896,993 | 2 |
| Citizenship | ||||||
| Icelanders | 35,303 | 36,765 | 4 | 457,230 | 420,925 | -8 |
| Foreign visitors | 396,112 | 387,301 | -2 | 3,981,707 | 3,980,252 | 0 |
Over a twelve month period from October 2018 to September 2019, the total number of overnight stays in hotels was 4,401,200, which is a 1% decrease from the preceding 12 month period.
Nights spent by foreign tourists in hotels were 387,300, which accounted for 91% of the total number of overnight stays in September. USA residents had the greatest number of overnight stays (135,500), then residents of Germany (34,600) and China (31,600). Overnight stays of Icelanders in September were 36,800.
Occupancy rate for bedrooms in hotels was 74.0% in September 2019, and decreased by 4.1 percentage points from September 2018. Over the same period, the number of hotel bedrooms has increased by 6.2%. The occupancy rate for bedrooms in September was highest in the Southwest (80.7%).
| Supply and occupancy rates of hotel bedrooms in September | ||||||
| Number of Hotel bedrooms in September | Room occupancy rate in September | |||||
| 2018 | 2019 | % | 2018 | 2019 | pp | |
| Total | 10,350 | 10,991 | 6.2% | 78.1% | 74.0% | -4.1 |
| Capital region | 5,138 | 5,339 | 3.9% | 81.9% | 79.1% | -2.8 |
| Southwest | 627 | 755 | 20.4% | 90.0% | 80.7% | -9.3 |
| West and Westfjords | 807 | 923 | 14.4% | 76.5% | 60.4% | -16.1 |
| North | 1,128 | 1,216 | 7.8% | 68.3% | 63.5% | -4.8 |
| East | 441 | 441 | 0.0% | 64.2% | 64.2% | 0.0 |
| South | 2,209 | 2,317 | 4.9% | 74.3% | 72.8% | -1.5 |
Additionally, overnight stays in cars other than at campsites were 17,000 and the number of overnight stays with friends and relatives, through exchanges or in other places where no payment was made, were 31,000.
Methods
Methods for estimating unregistered overnight stays are under development. All estimates of unregistered overnight stays are temporary and subject to change when further information are available, such as on VAT turnover, supply and occupancy rates of establishments offering accommodation through Airbnb.
All numbers for 2019 are preliminary.