Reykjavik, Iceland - A rugged capital promising adventure and culture

(Source: Architectural Digest, 2016)

Dubbed as a ‘country in the making’ Iceland is fast becoming a must visit destination with Reykjavik as a central hub for visitors. Since 2010 inbound tourist numbers have more than doubled with a record 1,289,140 foreign visitors in 2015 proving that Iceland’s appeal is ever increasing (Iceland Tourist Board, 2016). This boost appears to coincide with the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull which catapulted Iceland in to the view of the media when the ash cloud caused travel disruptions. Although the ash cloud caused negative effects on the travel industry the views of the eruption and Icelandic landscape were simply mesmerising. With such heavy media coverage, and a well-timed coinciding promotional effort from the Iceland Tourist Board, the touristic attractions that the destination offers became centre stage.  

Using the underpinning knowledge of Leiper’s (1990) tourist attraction system it is widely acknowledged that the attractions of a destination must be able to motivate tourists and pull them to the destination. Complimenting this concept, the tourist must also be pushed to the destination due to their need to escape from the everyday (Dann, 1977).  With these theories in mind it is no surprise that the breath-taking landscapes and powerful scenes of nature have pushed and pulled tourists to Reykjavik.

The greatest touristic offers as emphasised in promotional materials appear to be the landscape and the Icelandic culture. These pillars of attraction are both able to be diverse and contrasted as part of the destinations brand and as such appeal to a wider audience. Using Cohen's (1979) tourist typologies the destination image can be directed at multiple tourists.

For example, 

Images of the Northern Lights and other natural landscapes on offer promote the image of serenity,  peace and calm - appealing to the diversionary tourist who seeks to escape from the monotony of every day life. 

(Source: Iceland 24, 2016)

Landscape images can contradict this by offering visions of adventure, extremes and danger - suiting the recreational tourist who seeks physical challenges.

(Source: Iceland 24, 2016)

The cultural offering to tourists can emphasise traditions and heritage which will appeal to the existential tourist who wishes to completely immerse themselves in the Icelandic lifestyle.

(Source: Iceland Travel.is, 2017)

OR, the use of more modern cultural offerings such as runtur, a weekend long pub crawl, could attract the experimental tourist who aims to be in contact with local people.

(Source: Iceland 24, 2016)

These contrasting images/ attractions appeal to multiple tourists and allow the formation and collection of both romantic and collective gazes (Urry, 1990) thus motivating a wide range of tourists to visit. The contrasting representations of destination image appear to work together in harmony in a way that not many other destinations can achieve; The Iceland Tourism Board suggest this is due to their already established and unique Icelandic culture.

However, should visitor numbers continue to increase as they are then Reykjavik is at risk of losing its appeal. Issues of tourist perceptions being unattainable may arise as a result of negative effects of the three pillars of sustainability – Environment, Social and Economic (Brundtland Report, 1987).

Overcrowding, unsuitable infrastructure, and damage to landscape are just a few of the negative impacts that tourism can have on tourist attractions. Destinations which have received rapid and intense tourist interest, such as Barcelona, have suffered greatly when it comes to maintaining their identity (Fava and Rubio, 2016).

What pulled tourists in the first instance becomes overly commodified and inauthentic or maybe even damaged. Reykjavik’s natural landscapes could soon be eroded by too many footsteps, geysers will not be experienced due to overcrowding and the unique and soulful locals may feel the need to leave. 

Not on Reykjavik's watch!

The Iceland Tourist Board has learned from others mistakes and refuses to let the destination become victim of antagonism (Doxey’s Irridex, 1975) or decline (Butler’s Life Cycle, 1980). Multiple tourist businesses within Iceland commissioned the Boston Consultancy Group to create a plan for the future of tourism (BCG, 2013). The plan identifies potential impacts of tourism and gives solutions which would enable tourism to thrive but not threat the destination. The plan involves strategies related to marketing initiatives as well as infrastructural recommendations to support the increase of visitor numbers.    

Putting this notion in to motion the creation of the ‘Iceland Academy’ was established by Promote Iceland; a partnership formed by the same key tourist businesses that commissioned the BCG plan. The Iceland Academy cleverly reciprocates the message to tourists that they are guest to the host community and provides rules and warnings of expected tourist behaviour in a way that is endearing and light-hearted.

The Iceland Academy use the incentive of receiving a ‘graduation’ once all the advisory videos have been viewed thus making the process of learning about how to be a responsible tourist interactive and fun.

This approach to destination management is a soft approach as it intends to educate tourists and is open to interpretation (Mason, 2005). It is hoped that such measures will be enough for tourists to respect the delicate surroundings of Reykjavik but with some politicians and locals already rumbling at the tourist numbers hard measures may be implemented in the future (Morris, 2016). This could explain why an opportunity to further entice tourists to the destination appears to have been missed… 

(Source: Digital Spy, 2016)

Through researching the destination there appears to be little in the way of promoting the destination as ‘North of the Wall’. This of course is a key setting in the television phenomena Game of Thrones of which many scenes involving key characters and story lines are filmed in Iceland. Northern Ireland and Croatia have enjoyed major success as a result of the show and have fully embraced film-induced tourism through marketing stunts and campaigns attracting the millions of global fans to come and experience the ‘real’ Game of Thrones at the filming locations yet this does not seem to be the case with Reykjavik and the surrounding area (McDonald, 2015).  

(Source: Iceland Review, 2012)

Multiple academics have concluded that television and film can have a great influence on the tourist decision making process particularly when a show or film has such a cultural influence as Game of Thrones. Sirgy and Su (2000) even go as far as to suggest that destinations should dismiss usual destination marketing strategies in favour of hosting film crews as this results in reaching a more extensive audience and can greatly reduce tourist boards spending. 

It will therefore be interesting to discover whether this is a calculated move by Icelandic tourism businesses in a bid to deter mass tourism. Medway et al (2011) reasoned that this form of demarketing can in fact help destinations to maintain their authenticity as well as protect natural environments by deflecting tourists. 

However, with Iceland becoming more dependent on the tourist economy since its almighty economic collapse in 2008, a strategy to increase tourism by using the Game of Thrones franchise may be on the horizon. For now, it seems Reykjavik’s priorities are to maintain its natural environment which, poignantly, is probably its main tourist attraction and as such the most negatively impacted by tourism. 

So...with lots on offer, some big plans ahead and the threat of mass tourism it is sure to be an interesting case study visit to analyse the destination management of Reykjavik, Iceland!