Iceland Expects One Million Tourists In 2022

Despite a short-term dip in tourism due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19, a new report from Íslandsbanki Research estimates up to 1.2 million tourists will come to Iceland in 2022. Should the estimate be met, it would represent a 70% increase on 2021 but still be lower than pre-pandemic highs.

In its macroeconomic forecast for 2022-2024, Íslandsbanki Research picked out tourism as a key factor in Iceland’s potential economic growth in the coming years.

While the bank notes obvious pandemic-related uncertainty, it makes the estimate with “cautious optimism” due to widespread vaccination and the “less severe illness caused by the Omicron variant.”

The latest Iceland travel rules allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter the country upon presentation of a negative test result taken in the 72 hours prior to arrival. Check this excellent official tool for the latest information before you book.

What’s new in Iceland

Travelers planning a trip to Iceland in 2022 have several new attractions to look forward to, most notably in the Westfjords region. The improvements to the remote region played a part in Lonely Planet naming the Westfjords on its ‘best in travel’ list for 2022.

Following a multi-year tunnelling project, the 590-mile circular Westfjords Way is a tempting road trip, while the new viewing platform at Bolafjall mountain will offer visitors a stunning new perspective on the landscape from a height of 2,100 feet.

Visitors from the U.S. will also have an easier time of visiting Iceland this year thanks to the launch of new routes from PLAY, the low-cost airline launched last year.

Starting this spring, PLAY will serve Reykjavik directly from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Baltimore/Washington International (BWI).

Iceland fared better than expected in 2021

About 700,000 tourists visited Iceland in 2021, a 45% increase on 2020 when Iceland’s summer high season was wiped out by pandemic travel restrictions. In 2021, many restrictions were lifted in June, a factor that contributed to 470,000 people visiting over the summer season.

Those visitors also spent more, according to the report: “those who visited Iceland in 2021 generally stayed longer and spent more than pre-pandemic travelers did.”

The numbers were no doubt lifted by the media coverage of the Fagradalsfjall eruption. After 6,000 years of silence, the volcano burst into life in March and activity continued for six months.

A live webcam setup by Visit Iceland fascinated travelers around the world and no doubt contributed to the increase in visitors.

Full tourism recovery is years away

The report stated a belief that “people’s desire to travel is significant” despite the virus, and that Iceland offers travel opportunities “without engaging in close contact with others.”

However, even if tourism figures in 2022 meet Íslandsbanki Research’s optimistic estimate of 1.2 million, the recovery is far from over. That would only match visitor numbers in 2015, which were 40% less than in the boom years preceding the pandemic.

The outlook for tourism growth becomes more positive in the years to come, however. “Next year, we predict about 1.5 million tourists will visit, and in 2024, 1.7 million,” stated the report.