Overnight stays in all types of accommodation in December were 523 thousand and decreased by 4% compared to the same month the year before. Overnight stays in hotels were 305 thousand, or 58% of total overnight stays, and increased by 1% during the same period.
Supply of hotel rooms has increased a lot lately and last December the supply had increased by 9% compared with the same month the year before. Hotel room usage rate has decreased from 53.3% to 50.6% during the same period.
The number of passengers arriving in Iceland through Keflavik Airport in January decreased by 11%, from 179 thousand to 158 thousand, compared to the same month last year. Thereof passengers with foreign passports decreased by 13%, or 18 thousand passengers, while the number of Icelandic passengers decreased by 6%, from 41 thousand to 38 thousand.
This release includes updated statistics on overnight stays along with updated statistics on rental cars from the Iceland transport authority, a count from the Icelandic Tourist board on passengers going through Keflavik airport and traffic statistics for Keflavik airport.
| Tourism short-term indicators | December | January - December | ||||
| Overnight stays1 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total overnight stays | 547174 | 522949 | -4% | 10897786 | 10495959 | -4% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 356128 | 352682 | -1% | 5861091 | 5785059 | -1% |
| Airbnb and similar sites | 79000 | 64000 | -19% | 1816000 | 1620000 | -11% |
| Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 19000 | 19000 | 0% | 532900 | 455000 | -15% |
| Other types of listed accommodation | 93046 | 87267 | -6% | 2687795 | 2635900 | -2% |
| December | January - December | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 302422 | 304722 | 1% | 4472870 | 4519023 | 1% |
| Available hotel rooms | 9973 | 10856 | 9% | 120103 | 128952 | 7% |
| Occupancy rate | 53.3% | 50.6% | -2.7 | 68.0% | 64.5% | -3.5 |
| Q3 | Q4 - Q3 | |||||
| Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 194412 | 169678 | -13% | 511966 | 484702 | -5% |
| - Passenger flights | 69426 | 49297 | -29% | 182138 | 147230 | -19% |
| - Consumption | 124985 | 120381 | -4% | 329828 | 337472 | 2% |
| September - October | November - October | |||||
| VAT turnover (million ISK)2 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total turnover | 115336 | 106279 | -8% | 683940 | 621931 | -9% |
| - Accommodation | 45654 | 41135 | -10% | 293996 | 229955 | -22% |
| - Passenger flights (international) | 18640 | 17469 | -6% | 100450 | 100212 | 0% |
| - Catering and services | 17312 | 16682 | -4% | 99316 | 99911 | 1% |
| - Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 8901 | 7501 | -16% | 51475 | 49105 | -5% |
| - Travel agents and planners (in Iceland) | 3430 | 3257 | -5% | 16460 | 16458 | 0% |
| - Car rentals | 16585 | 15860 | -4% | 93437 | 98811 | 6% |
| - Passenger transport on land | 3845 | 3443 | -11% | 23426 | 22183 | -5% |
| - Passenger water transport | 970 | 931 | -4% | 5384 | 5291 | -2% |
| October | Average employees November - October | |||||
| Employees3 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total employees in key tourism sectors | 28900 | 26300 | -9% | 28941 | 27525 | -5% |
| - Passenger flights | 5600 | 4300 | -23% | 5200 | 4700 | -10% |
| - Accommodation | 6900 | 6800 | -1% | 7000 | 6900 | -1% |
| - Catering and services | 10600 | 9600 | -9% | 10800 | 10200 | -6% |
| - Travel agents and planners | 3800 | 3600 | -5% | 3800 | 3800 | 0% |
| - Other tourism sectors | 2800 | 2600 | -9% | 2800 | 2600 | -7% |
| February | Average March - Febru | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total rental cars | 24537 | 22979 | -6% | 25345 | 24491 | -3% |
| Rental cars (active) | 21544 | 20112 | -7% | 23462 | 22735 | -3% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 2993 | 2867 | -4% | 1883 | 1757 | -7% |
| January | February - January | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| South Iceland | 10044 | 8962 | -11% | 180403 | 176436 | -2% |
| West Iceland | 9358 | 7778 | -17% | 165555 | 171739 | 4% |
| North Iceland | 4467 | 3761 | -16% | 103624 | 97395 | -6% |
| East Iceland | 1110 | 1071 | -4% | 27801 | 24191 | -13% |
| January | February - January | |||||
| Passenger count to and from Iceland | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total Passengers6 | 179640 | 158986 | -11% | 2977022 | 2576882 | -13% |
| - Foreign nationality | 139055 | 120918 | -13% | 2307411 | 1969438 | -15% |
| - Icelandic nationality | 40585 | 38068 | -6% | 669611 | 607444 | -9% |
| January | February - January | |||||
| Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport | 2019 | 2020 | % | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | % |
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 6011 | 4206 | -30% | 97159 | 84206 | -13% |
| Total passenger movements7 | 535210 | 375723 | -30% | 9770266 | 7088333 | -27% |
| - Departures | 182344 | 159248 | -13% | 2963052 | 2589047 | -13% |
| - Arrivals | 171539 | 152514 | -11% | 2945332 | 2588612 | -12% |
| - Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 181327 | 63961 | -65% | 3859010 | 1903673 | -51% |
1 Other accommodations are camping sites, youth hostels, holiday centres, lodges in wilderness, apartments, sleeping-bag facilities and private-home accommodation. Other unpaid accommodation includes overnight stays in cars, tents or caravans outside campsites and indoor accommodation where no payment was made.
2 Travel agencies (abroad): Services in connection with trips abroad, i.e. with zero VAT-rate according to paragraph 12 of the VAT-law (Act 50/1988). Travel agencies (in Iceland): Services in connection with trips in Iceland, i.e. not with zero VAT-rate according to paragraph 12 of the VAT-law (Act 50/1988).
3 Numbers rounded to the nearest hundred.
4 According to data from Icelandic transport authority.
5 According to numbers from 14 counters on the ring road from Icelandic Road Administration. Monthly numbers show the average count each month. 12 month rolling period specifies the total count during the period. Data is used from 14 counters located on the ring road.
6 According to numbers from Icelandic Tourist Board.
7 otal passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice.
Statistics
Tourism indicators
Balance of trade and services
Revenue from foreign travelers