Akureyri: a northern star emerges in Iceland
It’s time to discover a lesser-known part of the country, with its winter wonderland appeal, says the newly installed head of Visit Iceland
The recently appointed head of Visit Iceland has praised the impact of easyJet’s new flight to Akureyri, in the north of the country. The airline introduced the flight last October, flying twice a week from Gatwick until the service was paused in March; it will return later this year from 29 October.
“The north had a fab season after easyJet started flying there,” Oddny Arnarsdottir said. ‘It’s one to watch, with more infrastructure emerging.”
New hotels being constructed in the north include remote adventure resort Hofdi Lodge and a new 120-room hotel close to the Forest Lagoon geothermal spa, which opened in 2022.
Akureyri, which sits beside Eyjafjordur, the longest fjord in Iceland, is the primary settlement in the north. For a city break it offers quirky museums and galleries, cosy cafes and the world’s northernmost botanical garden. In the winter, it’s one of the best places in Iceland to see the northern lights, and enjoy adventures in the surrounding snow-covered wilderness.
“I was just there on a fam trip to visit the ski area, which has seven ski lifts and 23 slopes. The area caters for all abilities, from beginners to heli-skiing,” explained Arnarsdottir, floating Iceland’s appeal as a hidden gem for clients that ski.
With Icelandic low-cost carrier Play also providing a short programme of flights in the shoulder season between Cardiff and Keflavik, covering two Iceland v Wales football fixtures and the October half-term, Arnarsdottir said she hoped these new routes would give confidence to other airlines considering Iceland.
“The US is our biggest summer market, but the UK is our biggest winter market, and it’s very important for us. We’re seeing growth in family travel, in longer stays, people coming for the northern lights and for our snow.”
She added: “It’s very important we can spread visitors around our country, and children love being surrounded by open nature. Iceland gives them freedom, and the north builds on that winter wonderland theme.”
One of the ways the destination is helping disperse tourists is with a new Volcanic Way route. It’s a slow-travel approach – a drive stretching for 700km, with eight stages that take at least a day each to complete. Arnarsdottir explained: “This is a new travel route covering the Reykjanes peninsula and south Iceland in detail. Following this tour will take visitors off the beaten path to meet the locals, to learn their stories of living in close proximity to the volcanoes and how that builds their characters. It’s about regenerative tourism.”
With the recent intensification of volcanic activity in Iceland, Arnarsdottir sought to reassure the trade. “It’s normal for us but it’s very localised and it does not affect tourism as a whole. This activity, although it’s become more frequent in the last few months, is very different to 2010, when the subglacial eruption of Eyjafjallajokull caused an ash cloud, which grounded planes. We have many experts in the field, and their message is that travelling to Iceland is completely safe.”
Arnarsdottir, who has worked at Visit Iceland for the past seven years, has replaced Lina Petra Thorarinsdottir as head of the tourist board. She said her priority was to remain in good contact with stakeholders: “It’s very important to keep the trade close and informed,” she said. “I want to find ways to keep the conversation going and align our trade, marketing and PR pillars.”
The conversation will include events like this summer’s 25th anniversary of Reykjavik Pride. “We’d encourage booking for the event now,” she said. “We’re very proud of our human rights record, and the streets will be filled to celebrate that.”
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