Traffic through Lyngdalsheiði, which is a part of the popular Golden Circle route, has decreased during 2019. Vehicles passing through Lyngdalsheiði in July decreased by 17% compared to the same month last year. During the last 4 months, April to August, the number of vehicles counted was 209 thousand, compared to 237 thousand in 2018, a 12% decrease between years. Comparing the first 7 months of 2019 to the same period last year shows a 10% decrease, with the number of vehicles counted decreasing from 336 thousand to 302 thousand during this period.
The number of tourists coming to Iceland in July was approximately 210 thousand and decreased by 16% compared to the same month in 2018 when they were 250 thousand. During the same month, Icelandic passengers decreased by 9%, from 66 thousand to 60 thousand passengers.
The number of tourists coming to Iceland in the period from April to August 2019 decreased by 17% compared to the same period last year. The number of tourists during this period dropped from 737 thousand in 2018 to 610 thousand in 2019.
Total overnight stays in Iceland were 1,166 thousand in June 2019 and decreased by 3% compared to the same month last year when they were 1,208 thousand. Accommodation paid through websites, e.g. Airbnb, decreased by 11% and other types of unlisted accommodation decreased by 30% during the same month. At the same time overnight stays in hotels and guesthouses was relatively unchanged. Hotel room supply increased by 3% while occupancy rate decreased from 78% to 72%.
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays and tourists through Keflavik airport. Also released are updated statistics on rental cars from the Iceland transport authority, road traffic statistics from Icelandic Road Administration, a count from the Icelandic Tourist board on passengers departing Iceland and traffic statistics for Keflavik airport.
Tourism short-term indicators | June | July - June | ||||||
Overnight stays1 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total overnight stays | 1207910 | 1166450 | - | -3% | 10938846 | 10729425 | - | -2% |
Hotels and guesthouses | 589261 | 591522 | + | 0% | 5672665 | 5778788 | + | 2% |
Airbnb and similar sites | 190000 | 170000 | - | -11% | 1911000 | 1771000 | - | -7% |
Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 60000 | 42000 | - | -30% | 606900 | 521000 | - | -14% |
Other types of listed accommodation2 | 368649 | 362928 | - | -2% | 2748281 | 2658637 | - | -3% |
June | July - June | |||||||
Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total overnight stays in hotels | 419173 | 397622 | - | -5% | 4337276 | 4384198 | + | 1% |
Available hotel rooms | 10122 | 10438 | + | 3% | 115084 | 122641 | + | 7% |
Occupancy rate | 78% | 72% | - | -6 | 69% | 66% | - | -4 |
Q1 | Q2-Q1 | |||||||
Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 94230 | 93166 | + | 8% | 506277 | 518472 | + | 4% |
- Passenger flights | 32538 | 26807 | - | 0% | 180843 | 176433 | + | 1% |
- Consumption | 61692 | 66360 | + | 12% | 325764 | 342039 | + | 5% |
March - April | May - April | |||||||
VAT turnover (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total turnover | 94689 | 83586 | - | -12% | 654768 | 660496 | + | 1% |
- Accommodation | 11588 | 11630 | + | 0% | 95677 | 98011 | + | 2% |
- Passenger flights | 43130 | 31887 | - | -26% | 278684 | 268697 | - | -4% |
- Catering and services | 15503 | 14995 | - | -3% | 97244 | 99074 | + | 2% |
- Travel agents and planners (domestic) | 11503 | 12626 | + | 10% | 88265 | 98469 | + | 12% |
- Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 2840 | 2861 | + | 1% | 15131 | 16823 | + | 11% |
- Car rentals | 6637 | 6346 | - | -4% | 51471 | 50866 | - | -1% |
- Passenger transport on land | 3050 | 2835 | - | -7% | 22764 | 23168 | + | 2% |
- Passenger water transport | 440 | 407 | - | -8% | 5531 | 5389 | - | -3% |
March | Average employees April - March | |||||||
Employees3 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total employees in key tourism sectors | 27300 | 25900 | - | -5% | 29200 | 29300 | + | 0% |
- Accommodation | 4700 | 3900 | - | -16% | 4800 | 5300 | + | 11% |
- Passenger flights | 6100 | 6000 | - | -2% | 6800 | 6800 | - | 0% |
- Catering and services | 10300 | 9800 | - | -5% | 10900 | 10500 | - | -3% |
- Travel agents and planners | 3500 | 3600 | + | 2% | 3800 | 3900 | + | 4% |
- Other tourism sectors | 2700 | 2600 | - | -7% | 2900 | 2800 | - | -3% |
August | Average September - August | |||||||
Rental cars4 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total rental cars | 26.946 | 25.437 | - | -6% | 24.844 | 25.177 | + | 1% |
Rental cars (active) | 26.211 | 24.938 | - | -5% | 22.796 | 23.342 | + | 2% |
Rental cars (inactive) | 735 | 552 | - | -25% | 2.048 | 1.835 | - | -10% |
July | August - July | |||||||
Traffic on ring road5 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
South Iceland | 21270 | 19291 | - | -9% | 176862 | 179627 | + | 2% |
West Iceland | 20466 | 17812 | - | -13% | 160963 | 168532 | + | 5% |
North Iceland | 15322 | 13909 | - | -9% | 101808 | 103205 | + | 1% |
East Iceland | 4299 | 3558 | - | -17% | 27001 | 26836 | - | -1% |
July | August - July | |||||||
Passenger count to and from Iceland | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total Passengers6 | 344852 | 291608 | - | -15% | 2912361 | 2779254 | - | -5% |
- Foreign nationality | 278613 | 231281 | - | -17% | 2255796 | 2140983 | - | -5% |
- Thereof approximated no. of tourists7 | 248867 | 209573 | - | -16% | 2019902 | 1919856 | - | -5% |
- Icelandic nationality | 66239 | 60327 | - | -9% | 656565 | 646421 | - | -2% |
July | August - July | |||||||
Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % | ||
Total movements (departures/landings) | 10015 | 9542 | - | -5% | 99149 | 89954 | - | -9% |
Total passenger movements8 | 1187662 | 843473 | - | -29% | 9429816 | 8573282 | - | -9% |
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
6 See further information in news report and data table
7 Total passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice
Statistics:
Tourism indicators
Balance of trade and services
Revenue from foreign travelers
Passengers and tourists through Keflavik Airport