NEWS RELEASE TOURISM 18 OCTOBER 2019

Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists were 119 billion ISK in the second quarter of 2019 and decreased by 7% from the second quarter of 2018. Consumption of non-Icelandic tourists was similar during the same period, decreasing by less than 1%, while revenue from passenger flights decreased by 20%, from 128 to 119 billion ISK.

The number of employees in key tourism sectors decreased by 8% in August 2019 compared with August 2018. The number of employees in all key sectors decreased during this period. Employees working in passenger flights decreased by 20% during this period, from 5,900 in August 2018 to 4,700 in 2019.

Flight movements in Keflavik airport decreased by 11% in September 2019 compared with the same month last year. During the same period passenger movements decreased by 34%, from 982 thousand in 2018 to 646 thousand in 2019. The decrease is mainly because of a drop in exchange passengers, which decreased by 57% from September last year. The number of arriving passengers decreased by 17% and the number of departing passengers decreased by 18%.

This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, revenue from non-Icelandic tourists and employees in tourism related industries. 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. Approximated number of tourists coming through Keflavik airport is not published with this release as the methodology is being revised.

Tourism short-term indicators August    September - August   
Overnight stays120182019  %2017-2018 2018-2019%
Total overnight stays16616081597030 --4%1068679810594090 --1%
Hotels and guesthouses716052711831 --1%57190525786109 +1%
Airbnb and similar sites288000240000 --17%18040001690000 --6%
Other types of unpaid accommodation19700079000 --19%528900472000 --11%
Other types of listed accommodation560556566199 +1%26348462645981 +0%
  August    September - August   
Occupancy rate of hotel rooms20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total overnight stays in hotels504455513367 +2%43908084412865 +1%
Available hotel rooms1043810997 +5%116902123932 +6%
Occupancy rate85%83% --269%64% --5
  Q2    Q3 - Q2  
Balance of trade in services (million ISK)20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists127876119032 --7%506028509571 +1%
- Passenger flights4528736321 --20%179596167359 --7%
- Consumption8258982711 +0%326660341856 +5%
  May - June   July - June   
VAT turnover (million ISK)220182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total turnover128451111242 --13%665607643512 --3%
- Accommodation1774217768 +0%9575498144 +2%
- Passenger flights5840541314 --29%288016251606 --13%
- Catering and services1738517358 -0%9793199190 +1%
- Travel agents and planners (abroad)32962942 --11%1575716502 +5%
- Travel agents and planners (in Iceland)1709317435 +2%8951198772 +10%
- Car rentals95989794 +2%5019051064 +2%
- Passenger transport on land37293430 --8%2295022881 -0%
- Passenger water transport12041201 -0%54995353 --3%
  August   Average employees September - August
Employees320182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total employees in key tourism sectors3210029400 --8%2880027783 --4%
- Passenger flights59004700 --21%50834883 --4%
- Accommodation83007900 --5%67926683 --2%
- Catering and services1100010100 --8%1083310283 --5%
- Travel agents and planners45004400 --2%38083883 +2%
- Other tourism sectors31002800 --8%28422683 --6%
  October    Average November - October 
Rental cars420182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total rental cars26,40424,994 --5%23,00723,082 +0%
Rental cars (active)25,69924,075 --6%25,01624,934 -0%
Rental cars (inactive)705919 +30%2,0091,852 --8%
  September    October - September   
Traffic on ring road520182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
South Iceland1834316781 --9%178470178937 +0%
West Iceland1563815906 +2%162696172771 +6%
North Iceland1082510598 --2%102939103306 +0%
East Iceland31913072 --4%2741127068 --1%
  September    October - September   
Passenger count to and from Iceland20182019   % 2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total Passengers6289502233357 --19%29504212684150 --9%
- Foreign nationality231681183654 --21%22908112053499 --10%
- Thereof approximated no. of tourists7....   ....   
- Icelandic nationality5782149703 --14%659610630651 --4%
  September    October - September   
Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport20182019   %2017-2018 2018-2019 %
Total movements (departures/landings)81917293 --11%9863588312 --10%
Total passenger movements8982828646415 --34%86685947887792 --9%
- Departures290249238532 --18%29385022705266 --8%
- Arrivals269986223617 --17%29349012703286 --8%
- Exchange passengers (counted twice)422593182154 --57%37774462472255 --35%

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 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 Methodology is currently being revised.
8 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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