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Sustainable Travelling

Sustainability


Sustainable tourism might be a challenge, but it is also an opportunity, and tourism in Northern Iceland takes this responsibility seriously. Through the development of specific projects such as the Arctic Coast Way or the Birding Trail, a more balanced distribution of visitors is achieved which relieves visitor pressure on individual natural areas. By developing sights and attractions in remoter areas, the economically weaker communities benefit from tourism as a new source of local income. This opens up new perspectives, encouraging local people to find a livelihood in their home regions, thus helping to reduce rural migration to the capital area. With increased all-year-round services and offers, the number of visitors is spread throughout the seasons, thus reducing the summer peak with its tendency to mass tourism and delivering a regular income for the local population. This may even encourage families to return from the capital to their original rural areas, bringing back life to remoter villages. Iceland is rich in natural resources such as clean air and pure water and the tourism companies strongly emphasize treating nature with the utmost respect. The priority is always trying to keep interventions in nature as low as possible.
An ever-larger number of local tourism companies are investing in sound environmental practices such as CO2-neutral transport, recycling, conservation and cooperation with ecological research.
The use of regional products is a growing focus in the catering trade where the motto has become “From producer to customer”, not just for the quality of food but also for shorter transportation and support of local farmers. Here are some tips on how to travel sustainably.

Sustainable Travel Tips

  • Buy Icelandic products when shopping, both for food and handcrafts
  • Do not buy bottled water - our tap water is fresh, clean, and drinkable
  • Recycle your trash. There are public recycling points in villages and towns. Just ask the locals
  • Stay on hiking trails and respect trail limits to protect vegetation, soil, and wildlife sites
  • Respect restricted natural areas during bird breeding and for eider duck nesting
  • Do not damage sensitive moss and lichen
  • Respect national laws and rules for camping
  • Choose accommodation with a quality license