Full Year Analysis
The year in context
2026 is still in progress: 8 months of data put foreign airport arrivals at 1,563,893 so far.
Overall Performance
2026 marked continued recovery and growth for Iceland's tourism sector. Foreign visitors recorded 3,358,487 overnight stays in hotels throughout the year, an increase of 0.4% compared to 2025's 3,344,245 nights.
Spending Trends
Tourist card spending totaled 267 billion ISK in 2026, up 3.2% from 2025. On a per-night basis, spending averaged 80k ISK, an increase of 2.7% year-over-year. Spending growth outpaced volume growth, suggesting higher per-visitor expenditure.
Seasonal Patterns
Aug was the busiest month with 607,025 foreign overnight stays, while Jan recorded the lowest volume at 248,842 nights. Average hotel occupancy ranged from winter lows to summer peaks, with a full-year average of 67.4%.
Source Markets
United States of America remained Iceland's largest source market, accounting for 30.2% of foreign overnight stays. United Kingdom (11.3%) and Germany (8.6%) rounded out the top three. Notable growth came from China.
Data Sources
- Overnight Stays: Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands)
- Occupancy Rates: Statistics Iceland
- Card Spending: Central Bank of Iceland (Seðlabanki Íslands)