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Iceland Tourism 2025: Year in Review

A year of growth for Iceland's tourism sector. Foreign overnight stays increased 8.8% to 4,861,995, while tourist card spending rose 2.5% to 361 billion ISK.

Overnight Stays
Foreigners · Full Year
4.86M
+8.8%vs 2024
Occupancy Rate
Annual Average
67.3%
+1.4ppvs 2024
Tourist Spending
Card Transactions · Full Year
361B ISK
+2.5%vs 2024
Spend per Night
Avg per Foreign Night
74k ISK
-5.8%vs 2024

Monthly Overnight Stays

Foreigners · 2024 vs 2025

2024
2025
YTD YoY %
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec0k200k400k600k800k-20%-10%0%+10%+20%

Peak: Aug (616,023) · Lowest: Jan (256,429)

Top Source Markets

By overnight stays · 2025

1United States of America
1.53M+1.6%
2United Kingdom
598k-5.3%
3Germany
408k+10.0%
4China
357k+60.3%
5France
211k+2.2%
6Other Asian countries
178k+27.4%
7Italy
166k+16.3%
8Spain
154k+23.0%

2025 Highlights

Key performance indicators

Foreign overnight stays grew 8.8% year-over-year
Tourist spending increased 2.5% to 361B ISK
Average occupancy 67.3%, up 1.4pp
Top market: United States of America (31.5% share)
Domestic nights: 578k (-27.7%)

Full Year Analysis

Overall Performance

2025 marked continued recovery and growth for Iceland's tourism sector. Foreign visitors recorded 4,861,995 overnight stays in hotels throughout the year, an increase of 8.8% compared to 2024's 4,469,599 nights.

Spending Trends

Tourist card spending totaled 361 billion ISK in 2025, up 2.5% from 2024. On a per-night basis, spending averaged 74k ISK, a decrease of 5.8% year-over-year. Spending growth lagged behind volume growth, indicating some pressure on per-visitor expenditure.

Seasonal Patterns

Aug was the busiest month with 616,023 foreign overnight stays, while Jan recorded the lowest volume at 256,429 nights. Average hotel occupancy ranged from winter lows to summer peaks, with a full-year average of 67.3%.

Source Markets

United States of America remained Iceland's largest source market, accounting for 31.5% of foreign overnight stays. United Kingdom (12.3%) and Germany (8.4%) rounded out the top three. Notable growth came from China, Other Asian countries, Spain.

Data Sources

  • Overnight Stays: Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands)
  • Occupancy Rates: Statistics Iceland
  • Card Spending: Central Bank of Iceland (Seðlabanki Íslands)

Monthly Reports

Explore individual months

Data: Statistics Iceland & Central Bank of Iceland · © 2026 Iceland Data