Revenue from foreign tourists in the second quarter of 2021 amounted to ISK 30 billion, compared with ISK 7.8 billion in the same period in 2020. In the twelve-month period from July 2020 to June 2021, revenue from foreign tourists was ISK 79.1 billion, compared with ISK 333 billion in twelve-month period a year earlier.
According to VAT reports, turnover in Icelandic tourism sectors was 55,5 billion ISK in May to June, an increase of 49% from the previous year.
In August, there were 172,415 departures of passengers from Keflavik airport compared with 71,729 in August 2020. Departures of passengers with foreign citizenship were 151,847, compared with 63,762 in August 2020.
Estimated overnight stays in hotels in August were 413,300 compared with 176,711 in August 2020. The number of overnight stays by Icelanders was 65,500 (-50%) and the number of overnight stays by foreign guests was 347,800 (+681%).
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays and turnover by VAT reports. Also updated are statistics on rental cars from the Icelandic Transport Authority, traffic statistics from the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, revenue from foreign tourists, passengers count by nationality from the Icelandic Tourist Board and flight statistics for number of passengers going through Keflavik Airport from ISAVIA.
| Tourism short-term indicators September 2021 | July | August - July | ||||
| Overnight stays | 2020 | 2021 | % | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | % |
| Total overnight stays¹ | 837,432 | 1,094,686 | 31% | 6,064,957 | 2,977,931 | -51% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 369,110 | 560,747 | 52% | 4,094,561 | 1,692,224 | -59% |
| Other types of listed accommodation² | 468,322 | 533,939 | 14% | 1,970,396 | 1,285,707 | -35% |
| July | August - July | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2020 | 2021 | % | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 226,413 | 378,027 | 67% | 3,176,776 | 1,163,676 | -63% |
| Available hotel rooms | 8,442 | 9,738 | 15% | .. | .. | |
| Occupancy rate | 48% | 69% | 0 | 50% | 24% | -25 |
| August | September - August | |||||
| Experimental statistics - Overnight stays in hotels | 2020 | 2021 (estimated) | 2019-2020 | 2020 -2021 | % | |
| Overnight stays in hotels | 176,711 | 413,300 | 134% | 2,830,542 | 1,400,265 | -51% |
| – Iceland | 132,188 | 65,500 | -50% | 581,888 | 580,248 | 0% |
| – Foreigners | 44,523 | 347,800 | 681% | 2,248,654 | 820,017 | -64% |
| Q2 | Q3 - Q2 | |||||
| External trade in services (million ISK) | 2020 | 2021 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 7,835 | 30,082 | 284% | 333,122 | 79,147 | -76% |
| – Passenger air transport | 1,029 | 3,929 | 282% | 100,400 | 11,869 | -88% |
| – Travel / Consumption | 6,806 | 26,153 | 284% | 232,722 | 67,278 | -71% |
| May - June | July - June | |||||
| VAT turnover3 (million ISK) | 2020 | 2021 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| Tourism industries in Iceland | 37,185 | 55,452 | 49% | 496,577 | 236,466 | -52% |
| – Passenger air transport | 13,806 | 14,982 | 9% | 179,159 | 77,292 | -57% |
| – Service activities incidental to air transportation | 458 | 1,337 | 192% | 15,060 | 4,769 | -68% |
| – Accommodation | 3,792 | 8,502 | 124% | 76,486 | 30,582 | -60% |
| – Food and beverage service activities | 11,905 | 15,250 | 28% | 82,010 | 68,610 | -16% |
| – Rental of leisure and sport goods & motor vehicles | 5,187 | 6,661 | 28% | 40,866 | 31,050 | -24% |
| – Travel agents and tour operators (abroad) | 39 | 466 | 1081% | 11,672 | 1,426 | -88% |
| – Travel agents and tour operators (in Iceland) | 1,130 | 5,820 | 415% | 55,814 | 14,025 | -75% |
| – Physical well-being activities | 314 | 1,119 | 257% | 15,135 | 3,584 | -76% |
| – Passenger transport on land | 437 | 890 | 104% | 16,425 | 3,583 | -78% |
| – Passenger water transport | 116 | 425 | 266% | 3,949 | 1,546 | -61% |
| June | Average July - June | |||||
| Register based employment | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 - 2020 | 2020 - 2021 | ||
| Tourism industries in Iceland | 18,086 | 18,124 | 0% | 270,641 | 173,812 | -36% |
| – Air transport | 3,806 | 2,567 | -33% | 50,874 | 29,106 | -43% |
| – Accommodation | 4,368 | 4,587 | 5% | 75,662 | 38,073 | -50% |
| – Food and beverage service activities | 8,098 | 9,189 | 13% | 111,646 | 91,287 | -18% |
| – Travel agency, tour operators and other reservation servic | 1,814 | 1,781 | -2% | 32,459 | 15,346 | -53% |
| September | Average October - September | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| Total rental cars | 19,747 | 19,838 | 0% | 22,728 | 18,046 | -21% |
| Rental cars (active) | 17,186 | 19,174 | 12% | 19,380 | 14,626 | -25% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 2,561 | 664 | -74% | 3,348 | 3,420 | 2% |
| August | September - August | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| South Iceland | 15,948 | 18,989 | 19% | 153,734 | 148,770 | -3% |
| West Iceland | 17,753 | 19,613 | 10% | 154,656 | 155,416 | 0% |
| North Iceland | 11,960 | 13,535 | 13% | 86,969 | 87,775 | 1% |
| East Iceland | 2,906 | 3,809 | 31% | 22,059 | 22,652 | 3% |
| August | September - August | |||||
| Passenger count from Iceland6 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| Total Passengers | 71,679 | 172,415 | 141% | 1,192,211 | 462,195 | -61% |
| - Foreign nationality | 63,762 | 151,847 | 138% | 880,764 | 363,952 | -59% |
| - Icelandic nationality | 7,917 | 20,568 | 160% | 311,447 | 98,243 | -68% |
| August | September - August | |||||
| Traffic statistcs - Keflavik Airport7 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | ||
| Total passenger movements | 134,108 | 414,576 | 209% | 3,376,949 | 1,095,459 | -68% |
| – Departures | 71,729 | 172,415 | 140% | 1,371,465 | 462,550 | -66% |
| – Arrivals | 59,145 | 169,155 | 186% | 1,339,157 | 484,910 | -64% |
| – Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 3,234 | 73,006 | 2157% | 666,327 | 147,999 | -78% |
1 Airbnb and unpaid accommodation not included in 12 month period.
2 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.
3 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).
4 Data from the Icelandic transport authority. Numbers from first weekday of each month.
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 Data from the Icelandic Tourist Board.
7 Data from ISAVIA - passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice.