Icelanders Break Travel Records

Icelanders are shattering their international and domestic travel records, reports Visir.

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May was a record month for international departures for Icelanders and international departures for June have already rose to 70,000.

“There is a very high demand in the Icelandic market and just in all our markets, which is very pleasing after this long COVID situation. And a great thirst for travel among Icelanders,” says CEO of Icelandair, Bogi Nils Bogason.

According to data from the airline Play, Tenerife and Alicante in Spain are the most popular destinations for Icelanders. Copenhagen, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Nice are also popular destinations.

The post-COVID increase in air travel is proving difficult for airports and airlines to cope with. Recruitment has been difficult and airports and airlines are facing staff shortages, hindering air travel.

“There are very high levels of disruption at airports around the world and that does have an impact,” says Bogi. “But we have been successful in getting through this and our wonderful staff are working tirelessly.”

Beyond international travel, Icelanders are also traveling more domestically. In the past, only about 200,000 overnight stays have been booked by Icelanders domestically between January and April. This year, more than 416,000 stays were booked.

“We are experiencing an increase and we are just grateful that Icelanders have learned to appreciate the hotels in Iceland,” says owner of Center Hotels and chairman of the Icelandic Hotel and Lodging Association, Kristófer Oliversson. “There’s no better time to get to a hotel here in Reykjavík or in the South, North, or East than on Tene.”