According to preliminary data, it is estimated that overnight stays decreased by 97% last April, compared to April 2019.1 Overnight stays in March decreased by 55%, going from 733 thousand to 331 thousand, compared to the same month last year. Overnight stays decreased over all accommodation types by 50-65%. During the same period the supply of hotel rooms increased by 3% while the hotel room usage rate dropped by 36 points, from 66% to 30%.
The number of passenger arriving in Keflavik airport in April was 3,100, which is only 0,7% of the number of April last year when they were a little over 474 thousand. Flight movements decreased by 90% during the same period, going from 7 thousand last year to only 706 this March.
VAT turnover in key tourism sectors in January and February was 72 billion ISK and decreased by 10% compared to the same period last year. VAT turnover decreased in all key tourism sectors when comparing this period.
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, employees and VAT turnover in key tourism sectors. Also updated are statistics on rental cars from the Icelandic Transport Authority, traffic statistics from the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, a count from ISAVIA on passengers going through Keflavik airport and traffic statistics for Keflavik Airport.
The chart shows traffic on the ring road in Iceland from 1st of January – 30th of April. Data is from 16 traffic counters located in different parts of the country.
| Tourism short-term indicators | March | April - March | ||||
| Overnight stays1 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays | 732899 | 330956 | -55% | 10818370 | 9990111 | -8% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 455050 | 213553 | -53% | 5806515 | 5560246 | -4% |
| Airbnb and similar sites | 134000 | 47000 | -65% | 1817000 | 1439000 | -21% |
| Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 22000 | 9000 | -59% | 500000 | 432500 | -14% |
| Other types of listed accommodation | 121849 | 61403 | -50% | 2694855 | 2558365 | -5% |
| March | April - March | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 382357 | 175411 | -54% | 4452242 | 4331473 | -3% |
| Available hotel rooms | 10384 | 10727 | 3% | 121887 | 131111 | 8% |
| Occupancy rate | 66% | 30% | -36 | 66% | 62% | -4 |
| Q4 | Q1-Q4 | |||||
| Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 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% |
| January - February | March - February | |||||
| VAT turnover (million ISK)2 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total turnover | 79905 | 71994 | -10% | 676031 | 608010 | -10% |
| - Passenger flights | 30581 | 26589 | -13% | 279947 | 224227 | -20% |
| - Accommodation | 11034 | 10848 | -2% | 101802 | 98590 | -3% |
| - Catering and services | 13755 | 13587 | -1% | 100292 | 99856 | 0% |
| - Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 5803 | 4822 | -17% | 51091 | 47097 | -8% |
| - Travel agents and planners (in Iceland) | 1932 | 2179 | 13% | 16829 | 16780 | 0% |
| - Car rentals | 12987 | 10810 | -17% | 97276 | 95095 | -2% |
| - Passenger transport on land | 3489 | 2925 | -16% | 23362 | 21213 | -9% |
| - Passenger water transport | 323 | 233 | -28% | 5430 | 5152 | -5% |
| February | Average employees March - February | |||||
| Employees3 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total employees in key tourism sectors | 25900 | 23500 | -9% | 29000 | 26800 | -8% |
| - Passenger flights | 4800 | 3600 | -25% | 5400 | 4200 | -21% |
| - Accommodation | 5900 | 5800 | -3% | 7000 | 6900 | -2% |
| - Catering and services | 9800 | 9200 | -7% | 10700 | 10000 | -6% |
| - Travel agents and planners | 3600 | 3200 | -9% | 3900 | 3800 | -3% |
| - Other tourism sectors | 2500 | 2400 | -6% | 2800 | 2600 | -7% |
| May | Average June - May | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total rental cars | 24468 | 22014 | -10% | 25458 | 24020 | -6% |
| Rental cars (active) | 22422 | 14145 | -37% | 23615 | 21665 | -8% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 2046 | 7869 | 285% | 1843 | 2355 | 28% |
| April | May - April | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| South Iceland | 13285 | 7570 | -43% | 179804 | 166225 | -8% |
| West Iceland | 13888 | 7400 | -47% | 167889 | 161216 | -4% |
| North Iceland | 8144 | 3359 | -59% | 104474 | 95273 | -9% |
| East Iceland | 1864 | 875 | -53% | 27819 | 25502 | -8% |
| April | May - April | |||||
| Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 6946 | 706 | -90% | 94198 | 75313 | -20% |
| Total passenger movements6 | 474519 | 3132 | -99% | 9472182 | 6134338 | -35% |
| - Departures | 180259 | 1262 | -99% | 2919828 | 2266777 | -22% |
| - Arrivals | 174415 | 1264 | -99% | 2900349 | 2262819 | -22% |
| - Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 119845 | 606 | -99% | 3648472 | 1598401 | -56% |
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 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