In Pictures

Iceland: The tourism epidemic

The small North Atlantic island struggles to cope with an influx of visitors, endangering its nature for economic gains.

Since the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010, the tourism industry has broken records. According to the Icelandic Tourist Board, the Viking country recorded a 39% increase in the number — Since the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010, tourism in Iceland has broken records. According to the Icelandic Tourist Board, there was a 39 percent increase in the number of visitors in 2016, and total numbers could reach up to seven times the number of inhabitants by 2017. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

By Denis Meyer

Iceland, a small North Atlantic island of 335,000 inhabitants, has become the latest destination for travellers looking for stunning scenery. By the end of 2017, it had welcomed more than two million tourists in a single year.

Tourism has become the country’s main source of income, ahead of the fishing and aluminium industries, a fact that could well change the face of the country and its exuberant nature, a land of ice and fire.

Iceland can rely on its near-zero insecurity to position itself as a “safe haven”, far from the threats of violent attacks that affect the tourist market around the Mediterranean.

However, the tourism boom poses serious challenges to the country.

The road infrastructure cannot cope, hotels are saturated, the explosion of Airbnb has raised the price of housing in the capital to the detriment of city dwellers who now struggle to find affordable housing.

Young people who cannot find a place to live often leave the country and the generational gap is widening.

The authorities are struggling to ensure the establishment of the facilities tourists need.

Toilets, car parks, and signage are insufficient, and sites previously almost forgotten are now being stormed by busloads of tourists.

Faced with the steadily increasing influx of tourists, the Icelandic government is currently considering solutions that would allow the country to continue to benefit from the revenue generated by tourism while preserving its natural sites.

Strategies are being implemented to channel tourist flows, limit the number of visitors admitted year-round, and developing the most vulnerable sites.

These measures may reduce tourism pressure in a few specific locations, but also better control the environmental impact of what is now mass tourism.

The country must supply the mass of tourists with a large proportion of imported products and meet their direct and indirect water needs, without forgetting the environmental damage linked to detergen — Iceland has to rely on many imports to supply its mass of tourists and meet their direct and indirect water needs. It tries to do this while remaining mindful of the environmental impact of detergent use, pollution caused by transport, waste treatment, and the development of infrastructure. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Americans are the first visitors to the island. Their number far exceeds that of islanders. Airlines offer travellers the opportunity to discover the country by making a stopover of several days witho — The highest number of visitors come from the US, exceeding the number of locals. Airlines offer travellers the opportunity to discover the country by stopping over for several days at no additional cost. As they are mostly passing through, they remain concentrated in the vicinity of the capital. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

The island benefits from a strategic location from a geopolitical and economic point of view in view of the opening of the Arctic routes. The melting ice opens up new maritime routes between Asia and — The island benefits from its strategic location with new Arctic routes opening up. Melting ice has created new maritime routes between Asia and Europe as well as eastern North America, and is allowing the exploitation of mineral and hydrocarbon resources. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Airbnb''s popularity increases the pressure on land in the centre of Reykjavík and brings many apartments out of its housing stock. The capital observes an exodus of its populations towards the outskir — Airbnb's popularity increases the pressure on the centre of Reykjavík, taking many apartments out of its housing market. Inhabitants in the city centre are gradually giving way to tourists, transforming the landscape where hotels and souvenir shops flourish to the detriment of the city's cultural and artistic scene. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

One of Iceland''s most popular tourist destinations, Jökulsárlón has enormous potential. A group of investors, who bought the land from one bank at auction, is determined to fight against the preemptio — One of Iceland's most popular tourist destinations is Jokulsarlon. A group of investors, who bought the land from a bank at auction, is determined to fight against the preemption of the purchase by the Icelandic state, which has entrusted the management of the lagoon and its banks to the Vatnajokull National Park. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Some visitors do not respect the paths or markings, and sometimes cause irreversible damage to the plant or geological formations of the sites. As a result, marking, signage and development are being — Some visitors do not respect the paths or markings, sometimes causing irreversible damage to plant or geological formations of the sites. As a result, markings and signage are being increased at the expense of the pristine character of Icelandic nature. To manage its new popularity, tourism professionals on the island suggest that tourists be limited to the most popular destinations. In particular, some advocate focusing on those who are willing to pay a "realistic price" for visiting protected sites. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

The turbidity of the 25 km long lake, once a fishermen''s paradise, has increased considerably and caused an irreversible impact on the lake''s exceptional ecosystem: dams and hydroelectric power statio — The turbidity of Iceland's 25km-long lake, once a fishermen's paradise, has increased considerably and caused irreversible impacts on the lake's exceptional ecosystem: dams and hydroelectric power stations upstream from the lake. The excursion boat has since been abandoned. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Faced with all the transformations due to human activities, there remains only little virgin territory on the island. The tourists who come to Iceland for the grandiose landscapes sometimes fall in fu — Faced with the transformations caused by human activity, little virgin territory remains on the island. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

The companies focused on international tourism and offered an incredible opportunity to work in Iceland to young people from different countries in Europe and the world. For jobs in tourism, there is — The tourism sector now accounts for 20 percent of GDP, generating more than 7,000 euros per capita. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

"Local communities are characterized by a certain proximity between members. There is good social cohesion, it is an open society, which likes to be together. People are used to seeing familiar faces — "Local communities are characterised by a certain proximity between its members. There is good social cohesion, it is an open society, which likes to be together. People are used to seeing familiar faces and then all of a sudden all the faces you see are foreign. We find ourselves with a sort of clash between local interests and those of an international consortium of visitors. Overnight, your beautiful little company is not what it used to be," said Thorvardur Arnason, director of the Nyheimar Regional Research Centre. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Even if the country is relatively large, most tourists flock to the most famous "spots". Parking lots are too small for the growing number of rental cars, the lack of sanitary facilities leads to drif — Faced with a steadily increasing influx of tourists, the Icelandic government is currently considering solutions that would allow the country to continue to benefit from the revenue generated by tourism while preserving its natural sites. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

80% of tourists come to Iceland to enjoy nature. This creates enormous pressure on the sites. The upgrading of tourist infrastructure, necessary in the busiest areas, affects the natural character of — About 80 percent of tourists come to Iceland to enjoy its nature, creating enormous pressure on the sites. The upgrading of tourist infrastructure, necessary in the busiest areas, affects the natural character of Iceland's landscapes. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

The government is seeking to develop new air links from abroad to the island''s less visited areas (east and north), as part of a strategy to improve the geographical distribution of visitors. However, — The government is seeking to develop new air links from abroad to the island's less-visited areas (east and north) as part of a strategy to improve the geographical distribution of visitors. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]

Tourist groups cross a lunar landscape, set in the films Batman Begins, Interstellar, and the famous Game of Thrones series. Local tourism players have decided to focus on filming films and series in — Groups of tourists cross a lunar landscape that has featured in films like Batman Begins, Interstellar, and the popular Game of Thrones series. [Denis Meyer/Al Jazeera]