Safety Of Tourists Must Be Improved

A leading figure in Iceland’s tourism industry believes it “very important” to increase the safety and security of tourists at locations around the country.

“I believe that training [tourism] workers, and I am referring to first aid in this context, matters a great deal,” Ólöf Ýrr Atladóttir, the director of the Icelandic Tourism Association, told RÚV. “It makes a big difference that people are trained to respond properly when these situations come up.”

It’s no secret that many sites around the country, while stunningly beautiful, can also be dangerous in certain contexts. Injuries can happen, and in more remote locations, tourism workers who are trained in being able to provide first aid can be crucial.

She points out that the Icelandic Tourism Association, along with the Icelandic Association for Search & Rescue and the Environment Agency of Iceland, put together a draft of a joint policy in 2010 to institute a number of positive changes regarding the safety and security of tourists, and she would like to see that work continued.

If you do travel to a more remote place in Iceland, it is highly advisable to let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. If possible, travel with someone else who knows first aid, and ask a local what kind of potential dangers you should have in mind before heading out.