Tourism in Iceland is growing by leaps and bounds, as the country expects to reach 1.7 million visitors in 2016, compared to about 250,000 visitors in 2002. Today, tourism generates more foreign revenue in the country than any other industry.

“Iceland has over the past few years enjoyed growth far beyond any forecasts and the sector is expected to continue to grow,” said Ragnheidur Elín Árnadóttir, minister of industry and commerce, Iceland. “Last year 1.3 million tourists visited Iceland, a 30 percent increase from 2014. This year 1.7 million tourists are expected to visit the country, more than five times Iceland’s population. This increase represents a challenge for us, as tourism has historically been very seasonal but we have been able to change that picture and attract more visitors during the off-season period and can therefore be optimistic for the future of the industry.”

Iceland owes its newfound success in tourism to several factors. The award-winning, global Inspired by Iceland marketing campaign raised awareness regarding the country’s advantages as an all-season destination, generating interest in Iceland’s winter activities. The growing MICE market in Iceland is also a large help, with the market growing by 11 percent over 2014–2015. Those who do visit are also returning, with 84 percent of all visitors agreeing they would like to make a second trip to the country.

As air routes to Reykjavik increase, passengers are realizing the ease of travel to Iceland, whether they’re traveling from North America or mainland Europe, with flights from North America only five hours in length, and flights from mainland Europe only three hours. In addition, there are now more weekly departures out of Iceland to North America than from the capitals of Norway, Sweden and Finland combined.