This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, VAT-turnover in activities related to tourism, employees in activities related to tourism and latest statistics on spending of foreign travelers. Also released are updated statistics on rental cars from the Iceland transport authority, key statistics for traffic on the ring road from Icelandic Road Administration along with a count from the Icelandic Tourist board on passengers departing Iceland and traffic statistics for Keflavik airport.
Picture 1: The graph shows development of hotel room supply and occupancy rate of hotel rooms in the Reykjavik capital area
| Tourism short-term indicators | December | January - December | ||||||
| Overnight stays | 2017 | 2018 | % | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | % | ||
| Total overnight stays | 514413 | 539621 | + | 5% | 10909670 | 11407175 | + | 5% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 338116 | 341284 | + | 1% | 5574557 | 5793542 | + | 4% |
| Airbnb and similar sites | 75000 | 86000 | + | 15% | 1891000 | 1828000 | - | -3% |
| Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 20000 | 16000 | - | -20% | 641500 | 560900 | - | -13% |
| Other types of listed accommodation1 | 81297 | 96337 | + | 19% | 2802613 | 3224733 | + | 15% |
| December | January - December | |||||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2017 | 2018 | % | 2017 | 2018 | % | ||
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 300650 | 305153 | + | 1% | 4270710 | 4466348 | + | 5% |
| Available hotel rooms | 9187 | 9953 | + | 8% | 109772 | 119835 | + | 9% |
| Occupancy rate | 58% | 54% | - | -3.9 | 72% | 68% | - | -4.2 |
| Q3 | Q4 - Q3 | |||||||
| Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2017 | 2018 | % | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | % | ||
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 188701 | 193989 | + | 3% | 495608 | 512084 | + | 3% |
| - Passenger flights | 66884 | 69511 | + | 4% | 180009 | 182207 | + | 1% |
| - Consumption | 121817 | 124479 | + | 2% | 315599 | 329876 | + | 5% |
| September - October | November - October | |||||||
| VAT turnover (million ISK) | 2017 | 2018 | % | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | % | ||
| Total turnover | 111226 | 114315 | + | 3% | 632788 | 680182 | + | 7% |
| - Accommodation | 17441 | 17838 | + | 2% | 94686 | 96786 | + | 2% |
| - Passenger flights | 47259 | 45654 | - | -3% | 263608 | 293996 | + | 12% |
| - Catering and services | 16635 | 17138 | + | 3% | 95082 | 98617 | + | 4% |
| - Travel Agents and planners | 17623 | 19934 | + | 13% | 101943 | 110206 | + | 8% |
| - Car rentals | 7722 | 9063 | + | 17% | 50000 | 52230 | + | 4% |
| - Passenger transport on land | 3567 | 3742 | + | 5% | 22056 | 23065 | + | 5% |
| - Passenger trans. on sea, lakes & rivers | 979 | 947 | - | -3% | 5413 | 5285 | - | -2% |
| Employees2 | October | Average employees November - October | ||||||
| 2017 | 2018 | % | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | % | |||
| Total employees in key tourism sectors | 28800 | 29200 | + | 1% | 28500 | 29300 | + | 3% |
| - Accommodation | 4900 | 5600 | + | 14% | 4600 | 5200 | + | 13% |
| - Passenger flights | 6600 | 6700 | - | 1% | 6700 | 6800 | + | 2% |
| - Catering and services | 10800 | 10400 | - | -4% | 10700 | 10700 | - | -1% |
| - Travel Agents and planners | 3600 | 3700 | + | 4% | 3700 | 3800 | + | 3% |
| - Other tourism sectors | 2900 | 2800 | - | -2% | 2800 | 2800 | - | 1% |
| February | Average March - February | |||||||
| Rental cars3 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
| Total rental cars | 23510 | 24235 | + | 3% | 23888 | 25345 | + | 6% |
| Rental cars (active) | 19851 | 21097 | + | 6% | 21934 | 23462 | + | 7% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 3659 | 3138 | - | -14% | 1953 | 1883 | - | -4% |
| January | February - January | |||||||
| Traffic on roads4 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
| South Iceland | 9811 | 10163 | + | 4% | 168588 | 180522 | + | 7% |
| West Iceland | 8512 | 9358 | + | 10% | 159489 | 165555 | + | 4% |
| North Iceland | 4159 | 4467 | + | 7% | 100947 | 103624 | + | 3% |
| East Iceland | 1080 | 1110 | + | 3% | 26081 | 27801 | + | 7% |
| January | February - January | |||||||
| Passengers departures5 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
| Total Passengers | 186636 | 179640 | - | -4% | 2827569 | 2977022 | + | 5% |
| - Icelandic nationality | 39067 | 40585 | + | 4% | 620728 | 669611 | + | 8% |
| - Other nationality | 147569 | 139055 | - | -6% | 2206841 | 2307411 | + | 5% |
| December | January - December | |||||||
| Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport6 | 2017 | 2018 | % | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | % | ||
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 6403 | 5718 | - | -11% | 93477 | 97432 | + | 4% |
| Total passenger movements7 | 607175 | 606618 | - | 0% | 8755351 | 9804388 | + | 12% |
1 Other accommodations are camping sites, youth hostels, holiday centres, lodges in wilderness, apartments, sleeping-bag facilities and private-home accommodation. Other unpaid accommodation includes overnight stays in cars, tents or caravans outside campsites and indoor accommodation where no payment was made
2 Numbers rounded off to nearest hundred
3 According to data from Icelandic transport authority
4 According to numbers from 14 counters on the ring road from Icelandic Road Administration. Monthly numbers show the average count each month. 12 month rolling period specifies the total count during the period. Data is used from 14 counters located on the ring road
5 According to numbers from Icelandic Tourist Board. Count performed at security gate
6 According to data from ISAVIA
7 Total passenger movements include arrivals, departures and exchange passengers which are counted twice
Tourism indicators
Balance of trade and services
Revenue from foreign travelers