Iceland turning into Disneyland

LONDON — Iceland, a country hailed for offering a secluded, otherworldly travel experience, is being turned into Disneyland. The capital, Reykjavik, has been transformed over the last few years as the number of tourists visiting the island has soared, nearly all of whom arrive via the city’s airport on the south coast. And Birgitta Jonsdottir, leader of the anti-establishment Pirate Party, which could yet form the next government later this month, is not pleased about the new arrivals. “It’s like the city is not my city any more,” she said. “It’s like Disneyland downtown.”

The exceptional growth of Iceland’s tourism industry is well documented, with dramatic year-on-year rises since 2010, but this year will mark the first time that the total number of American tourists alone will be greater than the number of Icelandic residents.

Jonsdottir said her party wanted restrictions on the numbers of tourists visiting natural sites outside the city, which often lack basic facilities such as toilets, and would introduce a tax on hotels to help fund tourism infrastructure.

The rush of travellers drawn to the island’s glaciers, geo-thermal pools, extra-terrestrial landscapes, and seasonal Northern Lights displays has meant the country’s fledgling tourism infrastructure has been under mounting pressure, while the capital has seen an increase in hotels and souvenir shops, and rising rental costs for residents.

This month a poll by broadcaster RUV found that 87 per cent of Icelanders believe the government should impose larger fees or taxes on tourists. Though the country welcomes the revenue — filling the growing hole left by slumps in the industries of both fishing and aluminium — there is concern over the burden placed on the country.

The government is currently in the middle of a nine-year tourism strategy that runs to 2020, with a focus on improving infrastructure while also “protecting and maintaining” tourist sites. “The development of tourism infrastructure shall aim at protecting nature, and the tourism strategy shall aim at incorporating the concepts of sustainability and responsibility for Iceland’s culture and natural surroundings,” it said.

However, it would not have been prepared for the enormous growth experienced after the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, and subsequent ash cloud that shut down European airspace for seven days, helped put the country on the map. It coincided with a public relations drive from the Icelandic tourist board, while its appearance in the HBO series Game of Thrones provided further encouragement to visit.

Since 2010, arrivals have soared. This year alone, the number of visitors from January to August is up 33 per cent on the same period last year. Tourism officials believe Iceland will welcome two million visitors a year by 2020.

The influx has caused a number of issues for the country. Attractions around the Golden Circle and south coast have become increasingly busy, with coach-loads of tourists flocking to see the Gulfoss waterfall, Thingvellir national park and the Geysir geothermal park.

Iceland’s tourism authority has attempted to educate visitors of both the risks to their safety and the importance of maintaining natural sites. In March it launched a course on how to stay safe in the country, with a spokesperson at the time saying: “The majority of tourists want to experience nature, and we know that Icelandic nature must be treated with respect and care.” THE DAILYTELEGRAPH