VAT turnover, excluding passenger flights, has remained the same in the period from July to August this year compared with the same period last year. During this period VAT turnover from passenger flight has decreased by 25%, from 45 billion ISK in 2018 to 36 billion ISK in 2019.
VAT turnover in tourism related sectors with and without passenger flights
Employees in tourism related sectors are 8% fewer this September than September last year. Employees in passenger flights and related operations decreased by 21% between years, employees in catering and services by 8% and employees in other tourism sectors by 9%.
The average number of employees in tourism related sectors in April – September was 28,450 compared with 30,700 the same period last year, a 7% decrease. Employees in passenger flights and related operations decreased by 19% during this period while employees in all other tourism related sectors combined decreased by 5%.
Overnight stays in September were 1,060 thousand and decreased by 4% compared with the same month last year when they were 1,100 thousand. Overnight stays decreased in all types of accommodation between years. Unlisted accommodation, such as Airbnb and overnight stays in cars, decreased by 7% during this period while listed accommodation decreased by 3%.
This release includes new data, i.e. turnover from non-Icelandic credit cards used in Iceland. This information helps to reflect tourist spending in Iceland. In addition, this release includes updated statistics on overnight stays, tourists through Keflavik airport and VAT turnover and employees in tourism related industries. Also released are updated statistics on rental cars from the Iceland transport authority, road traffic statistics from Icelandic Road Administration and a count from the Icelandic Tourist board on passengers departing Iceland.
| Tourism short-term indicators | September | October - september | ||||
| Overnight stays1 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total overnight stays | 1100479 | 1060423 | -4% | 10771571 | 10545034 | -2% |
| Hotels and guesthouses | 606240 | 591571 | -2% | 5780187 | 5771440 | 0% |
| Airbnb and similar sites | 191000 | 180000 | -6% | 1801000 | 1679000 | -7% |
| Other types of unpaid accommodation1 | 53000 | 48000 | -9% | 524900 | 458000 | -13% |
| Other types of listed accommodation | 250239 | 240852 | -4% | 2665484 | 2636594 | -1% |
| September | October - september | |||||
| Occupancy rate of hotel rooms | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total overnight stays in hotels | 431415 | 424066 | -2% | 4438937 | 4401177 | -1% |
| Available hotel rooms | 10350 | 10991 | 6% | 117723 | 124481 | 6% |
| Occupancy rate | 78% | 74% | -4 | 69% | 65% | -4 |
| Q2 | Q3 - Q2 | |||||
| Balance of trade in services (million ISK) | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Revenue from non-Icelandic tourists | 127876 | 119032 | -7% | 506028 | 509571 | 1% |
| - Passenger flights | 45287 | 36321 | -20% | 179596 | 167359 | -7% |
| - Consumption | 82589 | 82711 | 0% | 326660 | 341856 | 5% |
| July - August | September - August | |||||
| VAT turnover (million ISK)2 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total turnover | 166226 | 148729 | -11% | 680225 | 630513 | -7% |
| - Accommodation | 69304 | 52167 | -25% | 295601 | 234469 | -21% |
| - Passenger flights | 28501 | 27979 | -2% | 99707 | 101339 | 2% |
| - Catering and services | 19555 | 20016 | 2% | 98692 | 100367 | 2% |
| - Travel agents and planners (abroad) | 12594 | 12122 | -4% | 50191 | 50524 | 1% |
| - Travel agents and planners (in Iceland) | 3323 | 3423 | 3% | 15919 | 16629 | 4% |
| - Car rentals | 25247 | 25757 | 2% | 91539 | 99295 | 8% |
| - Passenger transport on land | 5546 | 5159 | -7% | 23185 | 22560 | -3% |
| - Passenger water transport | 2157 | 2106 | -2% | 5395 | 5329 | -1% |
| August | Average employees October - September | |||||
| Employees3 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total employees in key tourism sectors | 30800 | 28200 | -8% | 29400 | 28400 | -3% |
| - Passenger flights | 5800 | 4600 | -21% | 5100 | 4800 | -7% |
| - Accommodation | 7600 | 7500 | -2% | 6900 | 6800 | -1% |
| - Catering and services | 11000 | 10000 | -8% | 10800 | 10200 | -6% |
| - Travel agents and planners | 4100 | 4000 | -3% | 3800 | 3900 | 1% |
| - Other tourism sectors | 3000 | 2700 | -9% | 2800 | 2700 | -6% |
| November | Average December - No | |||||
| Rental cars4 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total rental cars | 25,749 | 24,359 | -5% | 25,115 | 24,818 | -1% |
| Rental cars (active) | 23,847 | 22,534 | -6% | 23,125 | 22,972 | -1% |
| Rental cars (inactive) | 1,902 | 1,825 | -4% | 1,990 | 1,846 | -7% |
| October | November - October | |||||
| Traffic on ring road5 | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| South Iceland | 14857 | 14263 | -4% | 178809 | 178344 | 0% |
| West Iceland | 13246 | 13253 | 0% | 162951 | 172778 | 6% |
| North Iceland | 7590 | 7647 | 1% | 102618 | 103364 | 1% |
| East Iceland | 2047 | 2037 | 0% | 27564 | 27058 | -2% |
| October | November - October | |||||
| Passenger count to and from Iceland | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total Passengers6 | 263587 | 219948 | -17% | 2972789 | 2640511 | -11% |
| - Foreign nationality | 199626 | 162977 | -18% | 2308518 | 2016850 | -13% |
| - Thereof approximated no. of tourists7 | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||
| - Icelandic nationality | 63961 | 56971 | -11% | 664271 | 623611 | -6% |
| October | November - October | |||||
| Traffic statistics - Keflavik Airport | 2018 | 2019 | % | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | % |
| Total movements (departures/landings) | 8191 | 7293 | -11% | 98635 | 88312 | -10% |
| Total passenger movements8 | 982828 | 646415 | -34% | 8668594 | 7887792 | -9% |
| - Departures | 290249 | 238532 | -18% | 2938502 | 2705266 | -8% |
| - Arrivals | 269986 | 223617 | -17% | 2934901 | 2703286 | -8% |
| - Exchange passengers (counted twice) | 422593 | 182154 | -57% | 3777446 | 2472255 | -35% |
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 Methodology is currently being revised.
8 Total passenger movements count departures, arrivals and connecting passengers which are counted twice.
Statistics
Tourism indicators
Balance of trade and services
Revenue from foreign travelers