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myicelandblog-blog · 7 years ago

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TOURISM INDUSTRY IN ICELAND

TOURISM INDUSTRY AND THE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The breath-taking nature of Iceland is considered as the most important factor that attracts tourists to the country and there are many protected and unprotected areas with natural value to visitors. About 80% of the visitors decided on their visit to Iceland based on the country’s nature according to ITB (2015). Tourism industry has become one of the biggest segments in Iceland’s economy and the country has experienced an extreme growth in the number of visitors reaching 3 times more than the country’s population itself in 2014. (ITB, 2014) Destination management strategies are necessary to carry on activities in Iceland as it takes into account the destination’s values, attractions, local people, visitors, infrastructure to cope with everything and the marketing of the destination itself. Applying the destination management strategies result in not only a destination being managed better, but also provides better experiences for the visitors. It leads to the usage of natural resources wisely and effectively whilst respecting and protecting them. And these strategies should be analysed as a whole rather than different segments as the people experience it as a whole at once, not part by part. (DOC, 2011)

The huge increase in the number of people arriving to Iceland has resulted in many problems in the last decade. The city does not have enough facilities to host all the visitors in the city centre so many hotels have been built. Some of these new buildings led to the destruction of some houses in Reykjavik which gives the city its unique characteristics. (Morris, 2018). Also, the most popular routes such as the Golden Circle and the South Shore have gained unbelievable attention and these areas have become quite busy with dozens of tour busses and lots of cars parking right next to the natural sites. Tourists have damaged the natural attractions by littering and harming the environment. According to Iceland’s main objectives in terms of tourism infrastructure, the natural surroundings should be put into the centre of all the strategies and have to be protected at all times to be able to carry on sustainable tourism. (Icelandic Tourist Board, 2018)

To reduce the negative impacts of nature-based tourism in Iceland, different strategies have been planned. For example, within the Iceland’s current tourism strategy which ends in 2020, the government took some “soft measures” as Mason (2005) refers to them such as organising courses on “how to stay safe in the country” teaching the visitors how to enjoy the nature respectively whilst protecting it. Some airlines are now trying to cut down the number of flights to Keflavik and Akureyri Airports because having direct flights from everywhere in Europe to only this specific part of Iceland has resulted in over-crowding whilst the rest of the country which is full of so many natural landmarks remains empty. According to the director of tourist board Promote Iceland, the reduced number of flights would give Iceland the chance to grow slowly and sustainably respecting its capacity.

In terms of the public transportation, what I observed in the country was that the main way of transportation was personal cars. Most of the locals own their personal cars. There is no rail system in the country so visitors can either rent a car or use the busses in Reykjavik or to the other parts of the country.

THE POSSIBLE FUTURE CHALLENGES OF ICELAND

According to Icelandic Tourist Board (2013), the Iceland government is working on strategies that would result in new sources of income, better protection of the environment with more specifically aimed programmes, creation of better employment opportunities for the people living there and eventually an obtainment of economic growth in the time of a decade. For example, there are many constructions ongoing in especially the Reykjavik city centre to be able to accommodate more tourists in town which would possibly provide employment opportunities for the locals and the government is also carrying campaigns to attract visitors to the country whilst also designing programmes to educate them at the same time.

On the other hand, the global warming may affect Iceland’s ongoing tourism industry. Iceland relies on its natural sources to carry on tourism activities and an increase in the temperatures may result in a damage on these sources. Winter sports take a massive part in Iceland’s tourism scene but these attractions may not take place in the future. Thus, the Iceland government is trying to focus on promoting the country’s culture as much as the nature so that the country would not be as affected even if it loses some of its natural wonders in the future. (Vargas, 2018)

REFERENCES

Arcodia, C., & Dickson, C. (2013). Tourism field studies: Experiencing the carnival of Venice. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 25(3).

DOC (2011) – New Zelland Government, Department of Conservation: Destination Management Framework – A new approach to managing destinations. http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/about-doc/role/policies-and-plans/cms/dmf-overview.pdf [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

Hosany, Sameer, Yuksel Ekinci and Muzaffer Uysal (2006). “Destination Image and Destination Personality: An Application of Branding Theories to Tourism Places.” Journal of Business Research, 59: 638-642

Icelandic Tourist Board (2013). Northern Sights: The Future of Tourism In Iceland, Available at: http://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/moya/news/northern-sights-the-future-of-tourism-in-iceland, Accessed on 13th March 2018

Icelandic Tourist Board. (2018). Tourism Strategy 2011-2020 | Icelandic Tourist Board. [online] Available at: https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/about-us/tourism-strategy-2011-2020 [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

ITB. (2014). Icelandic tourism board. tourism in iceland in figures - april 2014. Retrieved from http://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/recearch-and -statistics/tourism-in-iceland-in-figures [Accessed 11 Mar. 2018].

ITB. (2015). Icelandic tourist board. Retrieved 2015-02-04, from http://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en

Mason, P. (2005) 'Visitor Management in Protected Areas: From 'Hard' to 'Soft' Approaches?', Current Issues in Tourism, 8 (2), pp. 181-194.

Michaelidou, N. , Siamagka, N-T. , Moraes, C. and Micevski, M. (2013) Do marketers use visual representations of destinations that tourists value? Comparing visitors' image of a destination with marketer-controlled images online. Journal of Travel Research, volume 52 (6): 789-804. DOI: 10.1177/0047287513481272

Morgan, Nigel, Annette Pritchard and Rachel Piggott (2002). “New Zealand, 100% Pure-The Creation of a Powerful Niche Destination Brand.” The Journal of Brand Management, 9: 335-354.

Morris, H. (2018). Has Iceland's tourism bubble burst? [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/iceland/articles/iceland-tourism-growth-slows-bubble-burst/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

Van Houtte, M. (2015) Sustainable tourism management in protected areas using a systemic approach: A case study from Þingvellir National Park, Iceland. https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/21992/1/MiekeVanHoutte_THESIS.pdf

Vargas, N. (2018). What Climate Change Could Mean For The Future Of Iceland Tourism. [online] Culture Trip. Available at: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/iceland/articles/what-climate-change-could-mean-for-the-future-of-iceland-tourism/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

World Economic Forum. (2018). This is why Iceland ranks first for gender equality. [online] Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/11/why-iceland-ranks-first-gender-equality/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

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myicelandblog-blog · 7 years ago

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ATTRACTIONS AND A VIDEO FROM OUR TRIP TO ICELAND

In this section, I’ll try to give some brief information about the attractions and the things to see in Reykjavik, especially the ones close to our accommodation, Brim Hotel. You can check our trip itinerary as well in addition to the video below I created displaying some of the highlights of our Iceland trip and uploaded on YouTube. Hope you enjoy watching it!

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ATTRACTIONS

Blue Lagoon: One of the most attractive activities in Iceland and the largest man-made lagoon in the world. This health spa centre on the Reykjanes Peninsula is enclosed by volcanoes and lava. It is situated approximately 40km from the capital city of Reykjavik, a 50-minute drive, and roughly a 21-minute drive from the airport. The country has a strict code of hygiene and guests are required to shower prior to enjoying the geothermal spa. The communal showers are split up by gender.

The Northern Lights: They are the visual result of solar particles entering the earth’s magnetic field at high atmosphere, and ionising. Their intensity depends on the activity of the sun, and the acceleration speed of these particles. They appear as dancing lights high in the sky and vary in colour, usually being green, but occasionally also purple, red, pink, orange and blue. Their colours depend on the elements being ionised.

To witness the aurora borealis in all their glory in Iceland requires patience, luck, and the following conditions to be met:

From September to April

As little llight pollution as possible

Little to no cloud cover

Enough solar activity

The best area is suggested to be the seaside at Seltjarnarnes to witness and experience the Northern Lights in their full glory.

Hallgrimskirkja Church: This expressionist church is one of the most notable tourist attractions which can be instantly recognised from almost everywhere in Reykjavik. The building provides 360-degree view of the city and is quite popular among the tourists.

General Admission:

Entry to the tower, adults: ISK 1000 Entry to the tower, children 7-14 years old: ISK 100

Opening hours:

Winter Opening Hours

October – April: 09:00 – 17.00 Tower closes at 16:30

Summer Opening Hours May - September: 09:00 - 21:00 Tower closes at 20:30

National Museum of Iceland: The museum offers a variety of fascinating exhibitions and one permanent display illustrating the story of Iceland’s past, from the medieval days of Viking settlements to current contemporary culture. The main exhibition has over 2,000 artefacts discovered in various parts of the country. In pride of place amongst the museum’s many treasures is the Valthjófsstadur door, featuring elaborate medieval engravings depicting scenes from the legendary 12th century knight’s tale Le Chevalier au Lion.

Sun Voyager (Icelandic: Sólfar): It is a sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason, located next to the Sæbraut road in Reykjavík, Iceland. It is described as a dreamboat, or an ode to the sun. The artist intended it to convey the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom.

Reykjavik City Hall: This remarkable building may not be considered as a tourist attraction for everyone but it hosts interesting exhibitions displaying the works of local artists during certain periods of the year. Also, as someone who has seen all the episodes of Black Mirror, I would love to see this building as on the episode called “Crocodile” they used the city hall as a hotel lobby. Bold and modern, this impressive building, connects nature, water and is designed deliberately to attract bird-life to the centre of town.

Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre: This is known as one of Reykjavik’s greatest and distinguished landmarks. It is a cultural and social centre in the heart of the city and features stunning views of the surrounding mountains. It is an enchanting destination for intrigued travellers and its grand-scale award-winning architecture has attracted 4 million guests since its opening, May 4, 2011.

South Shore: Visiting this part of the country known as a perfect choice for the visitors who love engaging in the nature. On this trip to South Shore, the village of Vík í Mýrdal and the Vatnajökull National Park are visited by travellers to see the glorious glaciers (e.g.Mýrdalsjökull), volcanoes (e.g.Eyjafjallajökull), and waterfalls (e.g.Seljalandsfoss). s situated approximately 20 km (12 mi) from the Keflavík International Airport and 39 km (24 mi) from the capital city of Reykjavík, roughly a 21-minute drive from the airport and a 50-minute drive from Reykjavík.

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myicelandblog-blog · 7 years ago

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Pre-expectations vs Reality

In this section, you can first read about my expectations from Iceland before travelling there followed by the comparison I made after visiting the country.

PRE-EXPECTATIONS

Iceland is a country in the north side of Atlantic Ocean and it is located almost 1000kms away from the west of Norway and visiting this country has always been on my bucket list since I was a little child. The wild and beautiful nature of Iceland has always attracted me even though I am not really a cold weather person. (Maybe it’s because I am from a very warm country, I don’t really know)

Everyone I know who had visited Iceland before seemed like they really enjoyed the country which always encouraged me to arrange a trip. The official language is Icelandic in the country and it is one of the oldest languages in the world which is still in use. Most of the locals can speak English fluently which is an opportunity for us.

Also, I have always been a big fan of Björk who is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, and DJ. She released an album called “Homogenic” which was regarded as one of her most experimental albums and with the beats she used on this album, she tried to reflect the landscape of Iceland.

(You can listen to one of the popular songs from this incredible album below)

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I have also been following an Instagram account devoted to sharing pictures from Iceland by the successful photographer Gunnar Freyr. The pictures he uploaded have always amazed me so far and helped me generate an idea about the life in Iceland in every month of the year. (You can find his account on www.instagram.com/icelandic_explorer/)

I believe that Iceland is a country where I should leave all of my prejudices before travelling and let myself enjoy whatever I come across during the trip. If we are not lucky enough to experience the northern lights, I will try and not let this make me upset and ruin the whole trip for me. I will try to see it as an opportunity to make a visit to Iceland again in the future. Also my past travel adventures have taught me that that I should not expect to be on time with the schedule all the time during the trip. Even though it is not an ideal situation, as a big group of people travelling around, it is so easy to fall behind the schedule and we should be ready to experience such things in advance.

WEATHER

As we are planning to arrive in Reykjavík on the 6th of March one of the most important things I should take into consideration is the weather. Iceland is not a warm country at any time of the year, but the temperature is likely to be reasonable throughout the year as the Gulf Stream affects the weather in the region.

From October to April, it is known as the low season where there are less visitors compared to the other months of the year. During the low season, there is only few hours of daylight and this situation increases the chance of catching and experiencing the famous Northern lights for the visitors.

When I think about Iceland, the first things that come to my mind are the freezing weather and the constant snow! However, according to some online resources, it does not really snow that much in the country, especially in Reykjavik. I find this fact kind of hard to believe. I think it will be freezing! When I have a look at the itinerary of the trip, I feel like I should try and find the warmest clothes and the most comfortable shoes before we go there.

ACCOMMODATION

During our trip, we are going to stay at Brimhótel which is a budget accommodation in Reykjavík. It seems very close to the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church and just a short walk from the main shopping area in the city. According to what I have found online about this accommodation, I should not have high expectations as there are both good and bad reviews from previous visitors. However, I have stayed at budget accommodations before and I believe that as long as I do not expect much from the facility and as long as they provide amenities to meet our basic needs, I will leave Iceland feeling quite content with the accommodation chosen.

PRICES

In Iceland, the money currency is “krona” (ISK) and the visitors can exchange their money at currency exchange offices. Also, ATMs can be found quite easily in the country as most of the locals prefer using credit or debit cards instead of carrying cash. Apart from the natural beauties the country has to offer for visitors, it also has a reputation for being incredibly expensive and this is a big concern for me. According to Guide to Iceland (2017), compared to the other Nordic capitals, hotel prices in Reykjavík is higher up to %32 percent compared to the other Nordic capitals; accommodation and restaurants are more expensive than the average in EU by 44%; and more interestingly, the prices of alcoholic drinks are higher up to 123%. As I am an exchange student from Turkey, even the prices in the UK are always so high for me. I can’t stop asking myself if I will be able to survive spending 4 days in Iceland without having to spend all the money that I have for my whole year in the UK.

REALITY

According to Arcodia & Dickson (2013), the field trips improve what is being taught in classrooms by providing real time experiences that are either different from or support the theoretical background. During the trip, we were able to observe Iceland as a country and analyse and compare our knowledge of the tourism industry in the area as a group of Tourism, Event and Hospitality students.

Now that we came back to the UK from the dreamy country of Iceland, I am going to compare my expectations before going there with the reality I have faced with.

WEATHER: Before going to Iceland, I was expecting constant snow especially outside Reykjavik. The weather was freezing every single day we were there but not as much as I expected it to be. I was wearing many different layers and carrying hand warmers with me wherever we went to. However, I did not really use them because I did not need to. When we arrived in Reykjavik, it seemed like the weather had settled down and was only really cold but there was no snow. Also, I was quite surprised by the length of the daylight we had which was roughly 11 hours despite of the many sources I read stating there would only be 4-5 hours a day.

In addition, I was quite disappointed when we experienced the Northern Lights. This was because of the fact that my perceptions were shaped by the pictures shared on social media by the people and organisations in Iceland to promote tourism. Marketers use destination image to position destinations regarding competing ones and to differentiate them in the minds of travellers. Destination image is thus used as a promotional tool to gain a competitive advantage over other destinations. (Hosany, Ekinci and Uysal 2006; Morgan, Pritchard and Piggott 2002; cited by Michaelidou et al. 2013) The pictures used on the media were obviously augmented on different photography applications and what we saw in the sky was quite different from the images I saw of the Northern Lights before. In the pictures, the colours looked vibrant in a crazy way. I could see the green colour when I checked my camera’s gallery however my eyes only witnessed a grey curtain waving slowly in the sky.

ACCOMODATION: I really liked the Brim Hotel, our accommodation, where I had to share a room with 3 other people. I was quite nervous before the trip as I have never shared a room with other people before but the room was quite comfortable and my roommates were really friendly towards me. We had a bathroom in our room but also a communal WC and a bathroom outside our room on the same floor. We didn’t have to wait for each other as we could use them, too. There was a kitchen with everything we would have needed such as a microwave, oven, lots of plates, glasses and cutlery. They even provided some dry food for everyone in one of the cupboards. People who stayed at the same hotel seemed like students coming from other countries to explore Iceland as we were. I saw many people in the communal area working on maps, trying to plan their next day in Iceland to make the best of their trip. They were talking to the hotel staff to get advice on what to do and the staff seemed very helpful at all times. I may consider staying at the Brim Hotel again if I ever visit Reykjavik again.

CULTURE/LOCALS: Local people of Reykjavik seemed to have the cool and recognisable Nordic attitude similar to people coming from Sweden and Norway. Everyone I talked to could speak English rather fluently which was a great advantage for me even though the official language of the country is Icelandic. People I encountered seemed quite friendly, some tried to make small conversations asking where I am from, how long I was going to stay in Iceland, what my plans were, etc. when I was buying stuff from the souvenir shops in the city centre. Some even suggested galleries that I could visit.

According to the World Economic Forum (2018), Iceland, even though is an island, is not isolated from progress towards gender equality and has been the top country in gender equality index for the past 9 years. I am originally from Turkey and we are still fighting for women’s rights in so many occasions. When I saw women in every part of life in Iceland, I felt quite happy and wished the same for all the countries in the world.

FOOD: As I knew that Iceland is a very expensive country, I bought lots of dry food before flying there such as noodles, biscuits etc. I had a limited amount of money in my bank account and I decided to spend it on different things such as souvenirs other than food. However, I checked the menus at every single café and restaurant we have visited and I couldn’t stop myself but compared the prices with the UK and Turkey every single time. Fish seemed to be the most popular food in the island and lots of different kinds of fish could be found easily in cafes and restaurants if you have enough funds to afford it. If we look at this situation from a different perspective, people from less developed countries are less likely to visit Iceland due to high prices which may reduce the impacts of over-crowding in the long term.

NATURE/ATTRACTIONS: I was blown away by the natural beauties when I first visited Norway, basically I couldn’t believe my eyes and Iceland reminded me of Norway in so many ways. After visiting a couple of different waterfalls, I found myself saying “Oh, another waterfall? They all look the same to be honest” in a jesting way but in fact I was amazed by all of them. I had the chance to take amazing pictures and this made me very happy as I am interested in photography as an amateur.

REFERENCES:

Arcodia, C., & Dickson, C. (2013). Tourism field studies: Experiencing the carnival of Venice. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education, 25(3).

Morgan, Nigel, Annette Pritchard and Rachel Piggott (2002). “New Zealand, 100% Pure-The Creation of a Powerful Niche Destination Brand.” The Journal of Brand Management, 9: 335-354.

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