NEWS RELEASE TOURISM 17 MAY 2019

Reduction of non-Icelandic passengers to Iceland in April was 19%. A total of 131 thousand non-Icelandic tourists arrived in Iceland in April 2018 while 106 thousand tourists arrived last April. The number of non-Icelandic passengers decreased by 27 thousand between 2018 and 2019. This is the biggest reduction of non-Icelandic passengers within the same months in the last two decades, which is as far back as the monthly data goes. Similar relative reduction for non-Icelandic passengers between same months has not occurred since May 2010 when the number of non-Icelandic passengers decreased by 18%. It is worth mentioning that in April 2010 the volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted, which caused approximately 95,000 flights to be cancelled in Iceland and Europe. In that month the number of non-Icelandic passengers decreased by 6,300.

A considerable reduction in air traffic through Keflavik airport also took place. Total passenger movements decreased by 27%, from 650 thousand in April 2018 to 475 thousand last April. Total aircraft movements, departures and take-offs, decreased by 25% between April 2018 (9,300) and April 2019 (7,000). The air traffic last April is similar to April 2017 (6,800). This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, VAT turnover in tourism related sectors, employees in tourism related sectors 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.

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Tourism short-term indicators March    April - March   
Overnight stays120182019  %2017-2018 2018-2019%
Total overnight stays733099716446 --2%1105768710888975 --2%
Hotels and guesthouses469906444243 --5%56576405810844 +3%
Airbnb and similar sites129000134000 +4%19400001844000 --5%
Other types of unpaid accommodation11400022000 +57%646900552000 --15%
Other types of listed accommodation2120193116203 --3%28131472682131 --5%
  March    April - March   
Occupancy rate of hotel rooms20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total overnight stays in hotels381803374545 --2%43146504431751 +3%
Available hotel rooms979110213 +4%112595121432 +8%
Occupancy rate70%66% --471%67% --4
  Q4   Q1 - Q4   
Balance of trade in services (million ISK)20172018   %2016-2017 2017-2018 %
Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists95557102958 +8%501919519496 +4%
- Passenger flights3487534847 -0%180193182164 +1%
- Consumption6068268111 +12%321726337331 +5%
  January - February   March - February
VAT turnover (million ISK)20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total turnover8573279147 --8%650842671290 +3%
- Accommodation1068710620 --1%9557798068 +3%
- Passenger flights3869330574 --21%275446279940 +2%
- Catering and services1355213484 --1%9675499218 +3%
- Travel agents and planners1321414826 +12%102919114103 +11%
- Car rentals60995815 --5%5115751656 +1%
- Passenger transport on land32253505 +9%2302923381 +2%
- Passenger water transport263322 +22%54615421 --1%
  February   Average employees March - February
Employees320182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total employees in key tourism sectors2660026200 --2%2920029400 +1%
- Accommodation45004800 +7%48005400 +13%
- Passenger flights58005800 --1%68006800 +0%
- Catering and services102009600 --5%1090010500 --3%
- Travel agents and planners34003500 +4%38003900 +4%
- Other tourism sectors27002500 --6%29002800 --2%
  Maí    Average June - May  
Rental cars420182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total rental cars2372924249 +2%2438025446 +4%
Rental cars (active)2115421763 +3%2234823602 +6%
Rental cars (inactive)25752486 --3%20311844 --9%
  April    May - April   
Traffic on ring road520182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
South Iceland1396513285 --5%172872179924 +4%
West Iceland1288613794 +7%161219167796 +4%
North Iceland72778144 +12%101844104474 +3%
East Iceland17331864 +8%2638027819 +5%
  April    May - April   
Passenger count to and from Iceland20182019   % 2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total Passengers6200324181229 --10%28500932930826 +3%
- Foreign nationality147551120306 --18%22178142266208 +2%
- Thereof approximated no. of tourists7131668106245 --19%19896882021994 +2%
- Icelandic nationality5277360923 +15%632279664618 +5%
  April    May - April   
Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total movements (departures/landings)92716946 --25%9655494198 --2%
Total passenger movements8649973474519 --27%90095259472182 +5%

Table in a pdf format

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

Further Information

For further information please contact 528 1000 , email gistiskyrslur@hagstofa.is

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