Employees working in key tourism sectors were 23,300 in January, 11% less than in the same month the year before when their number was 26.100. There were fewer employees across all sectors and the number of passenger flight employees dropped by 24% compared with the same period in 2018, from 5,000 to 3,800.
Revenue from foreign tourists was 86 billion ISK in 4th quarter of 2019 which is 14% less than the in same period the year before when it was 103 billion ISK. Revenue from flights dropped by 23% when comparing the same periods, or 8 billion ISK, while tourist consumption dropped by 9% or 6.5 billion ISK. Comparing the year 2019 to 2018 the revenue generated by foreign tourists was 10% less in 2019.The drop was around 50 billion ISK and a majority of the reduction, 43 billion ISK, can be traced to less revenue coming from passenger flights.
VAT turnover in key tourism sectors in November and December 2019 was 8% lower than it was in the same period the previous year, going from 90 billion ISK to 83 billion ISK. All key tourism sectors delivered less turnover during this period than the same period a year prior. Turnover from international passenger flights was 31 billion ISK in this period which is 5% less than in November and December 2018. Turnover from accommodation sites was 11.5 billion ISK or 14% lower than the same period the year before.
The biggest drops were in passenger flights (international), 1.8 billion ISK, accommodation, 1.7 billion ISK, catering and services, 1.6 billion ISK, and car rentals, 1.6 billion ISK.
VAT turnover in key tourism sectors during 2019 was 615.5 billion ISK, 10% and 67 billion ISK less than during 2018 when it was 682 billion ISK. 60 billion out of the 67 billion ISK decrease is due to less VAT turnover in passenger flights.
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, revenue from non-Icelandic tourists and employment and VAT turnover in key tourism sectors. Also updated are statistics on rental cars from the Iceland transport authority, a count from the Icelandic Tourist board on passengers going through Keflavik airport and traffic statistics for Keflavik airport.
| Tourism short-term indicators | January | February - January | ||||
| Overnight stays1 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays | 522110 | 509027 | -3% | 10861922 | 10482876 | -3% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 321996 | 346456 | 8% | 5845250 | 5809519 | -1% |
| Airbnb and similar sites | 104000 | 61000 | -41% | 1809000 | 1577000 | -13% |
| Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 19000 | 14500 | -24% | 521000 | 450500 | -14% |
| Other types of listed accommodation | 77114 | 87071 | 13% | 2686672 | 2645857 | -2% |
| January | February - January | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 272066 | 291582 | 7% | 4454480 | 4543661 | 2% |
| Available hotel rooms | 9864 | 10744 | 9% | 120513 | 129979 | 8% |
| Occupancy rate | 50% | 49% | -1 | 68% | 64% | -3 |
| Q4 | Q1-Q4 | |||||
| Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 102961 | 88554 | -14% | 519369 | 469866 | -10% |
| - Passenger flights | 34839 | 26831 | -23% | 182103 | 139189 | -24% |
| - Consumption | 68121 | 61724 | -9% | 337267 | 330677 | -2% |
| November - December | January - December | |||||
| VAT turnover (million ISK)2 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2018 | 2019 | % |
| Total turnover | 90280 | 83114 | -8% | 682326 | 615606 | -10% |
| - Accommodation | 32873 | 31177 | -5% | 288059 | 228344 | -21% |
| - Passenger flights (international) | 13309 | 11501 | -14% | 101766 | 98686 | -3% |
| - Catering and services | 16491 | 16291 | -1% | 100150 | 99986 | 0% |
| - Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 7577 | 6550 | -14% | 51380 | 48078 | -6% |
| - Travel agents and planners (in Iceland) | 1996 | 1686 | -16% | 16881 | 16151 | -4% |
| - Car rentals | 13971 | 12361 | -12% | 95641 | 97345 | 2% |
| - Passenger transport on land | 3728 | 3267 | -12% | 23081 | 21773 | -6% |
| - Passenger water transport | 334 | 281 | -16% | 5370 | 5241 | -2% |
| January | Average employees February - January | |||||
| Employees3 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total employees in key tourism sectors | 26100 | 23300 | -11% | 29007 | 26991 | -7% |
| - Passenger flights | 5000 | 3800 | -24% | 5361 | 4340 | -19% |
| - Accommodation | 5800 | 5600 | -5% | 6983 | 6867 | -2% |
| - Catering and services | 9900 | 9000 | -9% | 10688 | 10013 | -6% |
| - Travel agents and planners | 3600 | 3200 | -10% | 3881 | 3804 | -2% |
| - Other tourism sectors | 2500 | 2300 | -7% | 2817 | 2615 | -7% |
| March | Average April - March | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total rental cars | 24038 | 22668 | -6% | 25403 | 24377 | -4% |
| Rental cars (active) | 21208 | 20049 | -5% | 23551 | 22638 | -4% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 2830 | 2619 | -7% | 1852 | 1739 | -6% |
| February | March - February | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| South Iceland | 11673 | 11226 | -4% | 181971 | 175989 | -3% |
| West Iceland | 10765 | 10154 | -6% | 167512 | 171459 | 2% |
| North Iceland | 5340 | 4798 | -10% | 104074 | 102320 | -2% |
| East Iceland | 1275 | 1213 | -5% | 27783 | 27023 | -3% |
| February | March - February | |||||
| Passenger count to and from Iceland | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total Passengers6 | 189579 | 167458 | -12% | 2966301 | 2554761 | -14% |
| - Foreign nationality | 149004 | 133001 | -11% | 2296337 | 1952013 | -15% |
| - Icelandic nationality | 40575 | 34457 | -15% | 669964 | 602747 | -10% |
| February | March - February | |||||
| Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 508183 | 393286 | -23% | 97551 | 83639 | -14% |
| Total passenger movements7 | 5231 | 4664 | -11% | 9734748 | 6973436 | -28% |
| - Departures | 191349 | 167496 | -12% | 2955211 | 2565194 | -13% |
| - Arrivals | 199190 | 170198 | -15% | 2940244 | 2559620 | -13% |
| - Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 118554 | 55592 | -53% | 3837331 | 1840711 | -52% |
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 Travel 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).
3 Numbers rounded to the nearest hundred.
4 According to data from Icelandic transport authority.
5 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.
6 According to numbers from Icelandic Tourist Board.
7 otal passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice.
Statistics
Tourism indicators
Balance of trade and services
Revenue from foreign travelers