Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists during third quarter of 2020 was 33 billion ISK and decreased by 80% compared to the same period last year when it was 169 billion ISK. Revenue from passenger flights decreased by 91%, from 49 billion ISK to 4,5 billion ISK, while revenue from consumption decreased by 76%, from 120 billion ISK to 28 billion. Revenue from key tourism sectors has decreased by 59% in the last 12 months when compared to the same period the year before, from 485 billion ISK to 197 billion ISK.
Estimated overnight stays in hotels were 24,000 in November, which is 93% less than November last year. Thereof there were 17,000 overnight stays paid by Icelanders (-61%) and 7,000 by foreigners (-98%).
Just over 5 thousand passengers departed from Keflavik airport in November, 97% fewer than the same month last year when there were 177 thousand departures. Flight movements also decreased from 6,812 to 2,572 (-62%) comparing the same months.
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays. Also updated are statistics on rental cars from the Icelandic Transport Authority, traffic statistics from the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration and passenger count from the Icelandic Tourist Board and ISAVIA through Keflavik Airport along with traffic statistics for Keflavik Airport.
| Tourism short-term indicators December 2020 | October | November - October | ||||
| Overnight stays | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays¹ | 656,101 | 69,150 | -1 | 8,397,996 | 3,794,872 | -1 |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 513,828 | 52,272 | -1 | 5,769,198 | 2,624,708 | -1 |
| Airbnb and similar sites | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||
| Other types of unpaid accommodation | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||
| Other types of listed accommodation² | 142,273 | 16,878 | -1 | 2,628,798 | 1,170,164 | -1 |
| October | November - October | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 418,605 | 38,755 | -1 | 4,505,471 | 2,080,087 | -1 |
| Available hotel rooms | 11,214 | 7,493 | 0 | .. | .. | |
| Occupancy rate | 1 | 0 | -58 | 1 | 0 | -32 |
| November | December - November | |||||
| Experimental statistics - Overnight stays in hotels | 2019 (actual) | 2020 (estimated) | 2018-2019 (actual) | 2019-2020 (estimated) | % | |
| Overnight stays in hotels | 419,000 | 37,000 | -1 | 4,505,471 | 2,079,008 | -1 |
| – Iceland | 40,000 | 26,000 | 0 | 431,130 | 578,599 | 0 |
| – Foreigners | 379,000 | 11,000 | -1 | 4,074,341 | 1,500,409 | -1 |
| Q3 | Q4-Q3 | |||||
| External trade in services (million ISK) | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 168,934 | 32,949 | -1 | 485,192 | 197,140 | -1 |
| – Passanger transport by air | 49,385 | 4,563 | -1 | 147,858 | 55,581 | -1 |
| – Travel / Consumption | 119,549 | 28,386 | -1 | 337,335 | 141,559 | -1 |
| July - August | September - August | |||||
| VAT turnover3 (million ISK) | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Tourism industries | 149,382 | 57,842 | -1 | 632,002 | 391,805 | 0 |
| – Passenger flights | 52,197 | 16,980 | -1 | 234,525 | 143,587 | 0 |
| – Accommodation | 28,184 | 10,060 | -1 | 101,720 | 57,918 | 0 |
| – Catering and services | 20,258 | 15,443 | 0 | 100,932 | 83,476 | 0 |
| – Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 12,118 | 8,469 | 0 | 50,505 | 36,049 | 0 |
| – Travel agents and planners (in Iceland) | 3,502 | 318 | -1 | 17,002 | 8,178 | -1 |
| – Car rentals | 25,826 | 5,053 | -1 | 99,366 | 48,299 | -1 |
| – Passenger transport on land | 5,188 | 835 | -1 | 22,619 | 11,984 | 0 |
| – Passenger water transport | 2,108 | 685 | -1 | 5,332 | 2,315 | -1 |
| September | Average employees October - September | |||||
| Register based employment | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Tourism industries | 29,450 | 17,010 | 0 | 28,419 | 22,503 | 0 |
| – Air transport | 4,774 | 2,692 | 0 | 4,764 | 3,826 | 0 |
| – Accommodation | 7,721 | 3,525 | -1 | 6,998 | 5,263 | 0 |
| – Food service activities | 10,354 | 7,902 | 0 | 10,336 | 8,735 | 0 |
| – Travel agency, tour operators and other reservation servic | 4,121 | 1,867 | -1 | 3,958 | 2,981 | 0 |
| December | Average January - December | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2,019 | 2,020 | % |
| Total rental cars | 23,680 | 18,211 | 0 | 24,702 | 20,846 | 0 |
| Rental cars (active) | 21,161 | 13,098 | 0 | 22,902 | 16,628 | 0 |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 2,519 | 5,113 | 1 | 1,800 | 4,218 | 1 |
| November | December - November | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| South Iceland | 12,342 | 8,264 | 0 | 178,289 | 140,136 | 0 |
| West Iceland | 11,713 | 8,262 | 0 | 173,304 | 144,256 | 0 |
| North Iceland | 5,926 | 3,617 | 0 | 103,829 | 77,718 | 0 |
| East Iceland | 1,509 | 1,052 | 0 | 27,182 | 19,356 | 0 |
| November | December - November | |||||
| Passenger count from Iceland6 | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total Passengers | 176,531 | 5,169 | -1 | 2,615,539 | 765,897 | -1 |
| - Foreign nationality | 131,054 | 3,256 | -1 | 1,997,962 | 595,796 | -1 |
| - Icelandic nationality | 45,477 | 3,256 | -1 | 617,577 | 170,101 | -1 |
| November | December - November | |||||
| Traffic statistcs - Keflavik Airport7 | 2,019 | 2,020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 6,812 | 2,572 | -1 | 87,085 | 47,520 | 0 |
| Total passenger movements | 435,339 | 11,018 | -1 | 7,393,505 | 1,802,994 | -1 |
| – Departures | 176,582 | 5,356 | -1 | 2,632,983 | 766,586 | -1 |
| – Arrivals | 168,423 | 5,098 | -1 | 2,633,313 | 763,625 | -1 |
| – Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 90,334 | 564 | -1 | 2,127,209 | 272,783 | -1 |
1Airbnb and unpaid accommodation not included in 12 month period
2Other 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
3Travel agencies (abroad): Services in connection with trips abroad, i.e. with zero VAT-rate according to paragraph 12 of the VAT-law (Act 50/1988). Travel agencies (in Iceland): Services in connection with trips in Iceland, i.e. not with zero VAT-rate according to paragraph 12 of the VAT-law (Act 50/1988)
4Data from the Icelandic transport authority
5According 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
6Data from the Icelandic Tourist Board
7Data from ISAVIA - passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice