Social Sustainability in Icelandic Tourism

• The Icelandic tourism industry more than tripled its visitors between 2009 and 2016.
• There is an increasing focus on the social sustainability of tourism and this applies to Iceland as much as it does to any other nation.
• This social sustainability is necessary to ensure that the rapid growth of the tourism industry is handled in a sustainable and forward thinking manner.

The tourism industry in Iceland is rapidly growing and has expanded considerably over the last decade. In 2009 Iceland had 650,000 visitors and by 2016 this number had more than tripled to surpass 2 million visitors. Additionally, in 2016 tourism contributed 8.4% of the nation's GDP. This rapid rise in tourism has led to the queries of whether the tourism industry is socially sustainable. A recent academic article by Guðrún Helgadóttir has thoroughly investigated this question. He notes that, “Sustainability research in tourism increasingly focuses on social issues such as the relationship between resident quality of life and community resilience through adaptive capacity”. Helgadóttir’s study of the relationship between residents and tourists was created in an effort to contribute toward the increasing body of literature on this subject.

His research was supported by the Icelandic Tourist Board so that they could meet the need to monitor the social sustainability of tourism in their nation. He observed that within public spaces tourism created a disruption in the daily routines of residents. This was the case because tourists filled the physical infrastructure of Iceland and occupied space through their activities. Helgadóttir conducted in depth interviews with residents and these interviews revealed that residents are aware of both the benefits and the problems with tourism but residents maintained a positive attitude toward tourists themselves. This was to the extent that residents were concerned about the well-being of tourists and this was a significant theme drawn from the interviews.

However, the interviews also revealed that the residents were critical of the tourism industry and tourism management in both the public and the private sector. They also questioned the sustainability of the growth of the tourism industry. The interviews led Helgadóttir to, “consider the concepts of quality of life and resilience and responsible tourism as aspects of how communities experience and cope with tourism.” As a result he concluded that social sustainability, which is understood as both a procedural and substantive concept, is useful to address the issues in tourism development generally and in Iceland in particular.

The Appeal of Icelandic Tourism

Iceland has been able to grow its tourism sector so significantly because of a number of factors. One of these factors is the natural beauty of the nation in conjunction with the recent rise in nature based tourism. Iceland is a nation with tremendous natural beauty that is largely untouched by human actions. Iceland is a surprisingly diverse nation geographically and despite what the name may suggest, is not constantly covered in ice. There is a wide variety of natural wonders for tourists to explore. This ranges from fjords to volcanoes and even great stretches of grasslands.

The rise in nature based tourism can be attributed to several factors. One of the most prominent factors is the increasing urbanization of the world. Many countries are either rapidly developing or substantially developed and this reduces the opportunity to engage with nature. As a result more people are seeking travel opportunities where they can find some sense of escape from urban centers and big cities. Iceland provides just this sort of opportunity for tourists. With its aforementioned natural wonders the opportunities which Iceland provides to tourists are somewhat unmatched. In particular the diversity of natural experiences which the nation has on offer only furthers its appeal.

The Weather of Iceland

The weather in Iceland is almost as diverse as the natural beauty of the nation. This means that there is no ideal time to visit the nation. The factor of the weather is another reason why the nation has become so popular as a tourist destination. There is something new to experience based on the season and as a result the country does not need to rely on a seasonal tourism industry like many other nations. In winter tourists have the opportunity to see the famous Northern Lights and engage with other winter pastimes such as ice cave tours. Whereas in summer there are greater opportunities for wildlife adventures and seeing the midnight sun. While spring and autumn will offer a combination of the more extreme seasons and increase the opportunities for tourists.

Iceland does experience all four seasons although some may not think it does. The weather of the nation changes frequently because of various geographical factors. Many people are under the incorrect assumption that Iceland is frozen year round. This is not the case. In fact there is a common joke in Iceland that if someone does not like the weather they should wait five minutes. Iceland actually has a far milder climate than its name would suggest. This is in part caused by the Gulf Stream which flows on the south and west side of Iceland. This stream brings up warmth from the Caribbean. The warmth which the stream brings means that air from the Atlantic is mixed with much colder air coming from the arctic North. This intermingling causes changes in the weather often and in a rapid manner, including some interesting natural phenomena such as the “ blue blob ”. The stream coming from the Caribbean also causes a great deal of wind and storms.

Final Thoughts

Iceland has experienced a tremendous boom in its tourism industry in the last two decades and this can largely be attributed to two factors. These factors are the natural beauty of the country and the rise in nature based tourism over the years. The rise in nature based tourism can somewhat be attributed to an increase in urbanization and a want in individuals to engage with nature that is untouched by humanity. This is something that Iceland provides in spades. However, this rise in tourism must also be managed in a socially sustainable manner to ensure that residents of the nation are not left out by the boom in the tourism industry.