Iceland review - 2013, Síða 59

ICELAND REVIEW 57
ences and company trips. “They spend
twice as much as other tourists and require
extensive services,” she reasons. However,
with the proposed increase of vAT on
accommodation from 7 to 14 percent,
Iceland will be snubbed by such groups,
she predicts. “For those who organize
conferences and teambuilding trips, one
percent [in vAT increase] can be a deal
breaker,” she maintains. “Regular tourists
won’t cancel their plans. They just choose
less expensive accommodation.”
Harshly criticized by the tourism indus-
try, the government is seeking a compro-
mise on the vAT issue; the initial increase
has already been cut to 14 from the origi-
nally suggested 25.5 percent. “The increase
is perhaps too steep and the notice too
short. We will take that into consideration,”
acknowledges Steingrímur, although he is
not concerned about a downturn in the
number of visitors.
How to generate more profits from the
industry to finance destination develop-
ment and nature protection is disputed. A
special accommodation tariff earmarked
for such purposes has been established but
other means have yet to be carried out.
Erna suggests charging for parking in
places like Gullfoss while Svandís mentions
the idea of a nature pass for foreign tour-
ists. “visitors would buy one when they
enter the country, perhaps for 5,000 krónur
[USD 40]. Then it would be checked as
on trains abroad whether everyone has a
ticket,” she explains.
Þór too favors the idea above charg-
ing admission to destinations—provided
Icelanders can still travel their own coun-
try for free. “To fence off places and hire
guards also costs money. Besides, how is it
possible to fence off vatnajökull National
Park or Lake Mývatn?”
iMage equaL To
exPeCTaTionS?
Iceland actively promotes and has estab-
lished an image as a country with
untouched wilderness that can be explored
in solitude. In reference to Anna Dóra’s
survey of visitors to Landmannalaugar,
Svandís adds that visitors should con-
tribute to keeping Iceland’s image intact.
“Tourists must be educated about how sen-
sitive nature is. They should pledge that they
will travel with care, not damage the vegeta-
tion or drive off roads, not walk too close
to the edges of bird cliffs or disturb nesting,”
the minister states, highlighting that nature
conservation is a joint effort.
Ólöf believes the industry is headed in the
right direction and that tourism operators
have become aware of the problems that
must be tackled and the future goals that
must be set. “We are coming out of ado-
lescence,” she maintains. “We don’t want to
be a cheap egg-and-bacon destination. We
want people to get the quality experience
they pay for.” 
Ólöf stresses the importance of safeguarding
the country’s image. “In the 2012 Global
Green Economy Index, Iceland ranked
ninth in perception of green tourism but
was not among the top ten countries in the
ranking of performance.”
“There’s a certain gold rush mentality
in tourism,” comments Svandís. “We must
guarantee that those who come here enjoy
their stay and tell their friends back home.”
“The tourism industry must send a mes-
sage to those traveling the country, as must
the entire community, that we care for
the environment,” Ólöf states, referring to
Stykkishólmur in West Iceland as a role
model, the first community in Iceland to
obtain the Green Globe environmental
certification and the EDEN Award as a
‘European Destination of Excellence.’
visitors at Þingvellir national Park wait their turn at a public restroom.