Arrival tolls, increased parking fees and more are being considered to keep up with the growing numbers of tourists in Iceland, Minister for the Environment Sigrún Magnúsdóttir has confirmed.
Some 1.5 million tourists are predicted to visit Iceland in 2016, and many in the government are already talking about how to meet the growing cost. RÚV reports that Sigrún is considering numerous options where that is concerned.
Amongst the ideas being bandied about the halls of government are to enact fees such as arrival tolls, increased parking fees, and others, and Sigrún says all of these ideas are on the table. However, she cautions, these fees – if implemented – should be done in a sustainable manner that does not have too negative an impact on the industry.
The focus of her concern are locations of natural wonder in Iceland – popular as they are, they are also ecologically fragile, and the upkeep required to maintain them must be kept in step with increased foot traffic. Up until now, Sigrún says, the public sector has been focused mostly on bringing tourists to Iceland. The time has now come, she believes, for the public sector to consider how the industry could be contributing more to national coffers.
No formal proposals have yet been submitted to parliament on the matter.
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