VNI Membership

What is included in the membership?

Every member company is visible on the VNI website in their respective categories, both in Icelandic and English versions. In the registration, three photos are included, as well as text, a direct link to their website, social media, and ratings from Trip Advisor. It is also possible to have different texts and photos for each category that the company operates in.

VNI promotes North Iceland to travel agencies and others in tourism and directly to travelers. This is largely achieved through our website, social media, email campaigns, and newsletters, etc., depending on the marketing region. The website is used for promoting special projects, and specific domains connected to the main site are used for bigger projects, such as the Arctic Coast Way and Diamond Circle. VNI promotes its members when attending travel trade shows and workshops, both domestically and abroad. We also cooperate with our members when hosting journalists, media, and travel agents.

Members of VNI can seek information and knowledge from the staff of VNI for marketing and promotion of their company. They also get invites and discounts to events such as the Uppskeruhátíð ferðaþjónustunnar á Norðurlandi (an annual celebration of tourism in North Iceland, where companies and individuals are awarded), seminars, workshops, conferences, and other events hosted by VNI.

VNI collaborates with Business Iceland, The Icelandic Tourist Board, The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, and others who aim to strengthen tourism, development and build a positive image of North Iceland. Regular meetings are scheduled with tourism representatives from the region, working with the municipalities. Members of VNI benefit from these collaborations and can look there for assistance to seek out possible collaborators in the region, tourism representatives, and representatives from the municipalities and government.

Yearly membership fees

Tariff valid from February 1st, 2026.

Invoices are electronic if not requested otherwise. Payments are split into four parts paid in February, May, August, and November. For other arrangements or questions, contact bokhald@nordurland.is.

Jobs on a year-round basis are calculated based on the percentage that individuals deliver over 12 months. This means that multiple people working part-time can deliver working hours that equal to one year-round job. It is not possible to pay membership for less than one job on a year-round basis.

The tariff is subject to a yearly update based on the average change of the consumer price index.

Requirements for membership

• Fill out the application form, providing info on the number of jobs on year-round basis
• Name of the company, the id number (kennitala), contact info, website address, phone number and address
• 3 good photos related to your company
• Description of your company in Icelandic and English

Companies must be registered with the Icelandic Tourist Board to be visible on the website of VNI.
For info on how to register your company to the database of the Icelandic Tourist Board, click here.

Official membership logo

Below are the official membership logos, in Icelandic and English. At our office you can get stickers to put in windows. Click here to see more logos.

Images and video

Member companies have access to images and videos that VNI produces. Emphasis has been put on producing high quality content with skilled photographers and videographers, which can be used by all member companies to promote the destination. A system hosted at upplifdu.is is used for video, where users can put clips together or assemble clips to use for their own production. 

Images are hosted in a system called Brandcenter, at brandcenter.io/north. Get access by filling out this form: https://www.northiceland.is/en/travel-trade/images-and-trade-content/signup-for-brandcenter

How do you make the most of your membership?

Be active by attending meetings, seminars, webinars, and events hosted by VNI and participate in discussions. Let the staff at VNI know what you think should be emphasized when marketing and lobbying for tourism in North Iceland. Let us know about everything new and noteworthy and tell us what your main goals are. Check our website on a regular basis and see how your company is displayed, and update accordingly. Put the membership logo on all your print material and website. Working together, tourism in North Iceland benefits more.Be active by attending meetings, seminars, webinars, and events hosted by VNI and participate in discussions. Let the staff at VNI know what you think should be emphasized when marketing and lobbying for tourism in North Iceland. Let us know about everything new and noteworthy and tell us what your main goals are. Check our website on a regular basis and see how your company is displayed, and update accordingly. Put the membership logo on all your print material and website. Working together, tourism in North Iceland benefits more.

Mannamót - Natural Iceland Travel Trade Show

Mannamót is an annual event taking place in Kópavogur, hosted by six marketing offices around Iceland, Eagle Air airline, and Isavia the Icelandic airport operator.

Visitors can expect to see up to 250 companies, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to walk around, explore, experience, talk, laugh, and taste. Take notice that no meetings are booked. Invitations are sent out to travel agencies and tour operators, employees at hotels and guesthouses, information centers, airlines, guides, tourism students and teachers, Promote Iceland and PR offices, the Icelandic Tourist Board, the government of tourism, and other parties interested in or working in tourism.

Admission for visitors is free and the event is set up for informal communication. No meetings are booked, but remember to bring your contact information and happy outgoing spirit. We request that visitors register so we can send you updates and prepare ourselves with regard to how many will be attending the event.

More info: https://www.markadsstofur.is/en 

Uppskeruhátíð - Annual celebration of tourism in North Iceland

Uppskeruhátíð ferðaþjónustunnar á Norðurlandi has been celebrated since 2005. This is a yearly event where people from member companies get together, explore different areas in North Iceland and celebrate. Awards are given to companies, for example the company of the year, startup of the year and more.

The purpose is to get people in tourism together, enable networking of collaboration, see what others are offering and how they operate. People from all member companies can participate, a full day is scheduled with visits to member companies in a certain area. The schedule ends with a dinner, awards ceremony and a dance. 

The festival is usually scheduled in late October.

Code of Ethics

Article 1. Purpose

These Code of Ethics apply to Visit North Iceland  (VNI). They articulate the values and ethical responsibilities that Visit North Iceland  and its partner organizations uphold in their cooperation, at joint events, and in any other context where Visit North Iceland or its partners are represented. The Code of Ethics shall serve as guidance for communication, collaboration, and the resolution of issues.

Respect and Integrity

Visit North Iceland (VNI) is a collaborative platform for tourism stakeholders in North Iceland. VNI's primary role is to promote increased cooperation between tourism businesses and municipalities in the region with the aim of attracting more visitors, extending their length of stay, supporting tourism in the region, and ensuring that tourism development aligns with the wishes of local communities, with sustainability as a guiding principle.

• Partner organizations and employees of VNI shall treat one another with respect in all interactions.
• Partner organizations shall participate in the work of VNI with loyalty and integrity. They shall conduct their activities in accordance with applicable laws and sound ethical standards.
• Partner organizations shall refrain from engaging in actions or discussions that could damage the reputation of the destination or undermine trust in businesses and the regional economy.
• Partner organizations shall hold all required operating licenses and be registered with the Icelandic Tourist Board

Competition and Conflicts of Interest

• VNI is a collaborative platform for companies, sole proprietors, associations, and institutions, many of which are competitors.
• Partner organizations of VNI shall ensure that their interactions within the VNI framework never violate applicable competition laws.
• Partner organizations shall avoid conflicts of interest in their activities within VNI and draw attention to any potential conflicts that may arise. VNI will make every effort to prevent conflicts of interest and will maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive information related to the operations of partner organizations.

Participation in Events

VNI regularly organizes events within the region and participates in joint events domestically with partner organizations, as well as international trade fairs and workshops.

• Participants at events organized by VNI shall always be neat in appearance, professional in speech, and never visibly under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances.
• The conduct of partner organizations and VNI staff shall always be exemplary and aligned with the objectives of the marketing event. VNI staff and partners represent the face of the region.
• At VNI events, partner organizations shall show mutual respect at all times and allow others the space and privacy necessary to carry out their promotional activities. If these guidelines are not respected and conflicts arise as a result, VNI staff will seek to resolve the dispute. If resolution is not possible, participants may be asked to leave the event.

Partner organizations participating in VNI events shall not use such events to distribute material that clearly falls outside the scope of the organization’s and VNI's activities, such as advocacy for political movements, ideological or religious organizations, or similar causes.

Article 2. Compliance with the Code of Ethics

• VNI staff and partner organizations shall make every effort to comply with these Code of Ethics diligently and to act in accordance with their spirit.
• It is not possible to establish exhaustive rules for every situation that may arise in the operations of VNI or in its interactions with partner organizations. Therefore, it is important that the underlying principles of these Code of Ethics remain paramount: respect and integrity shall be the guiding values in communication and cooperation.
• Complaints regarding activities or incidents shall be submitted to the Managing Director of VNI.
• If there is a dispute concerning an alleged breach of these Code of Ethics, it shall be reported to the Board of VNI, which shall respond in an appropriate manner

History

Preparations for the establishment of Visit North Iceland can be traced back to 1999. Records from January 2001 show meetings initiated by the East Iceland Tourism Association (Ferðamálasamtök Norðurlands eystra) to discuss how stakeholders could work together on the joint marketing of North Iceland through a dedicated marketing and promotional office for the region. Participants included representatives of municipalities, municipal associations, and tourism businesses throughout North Iceland.

The background to these discussions was a longstanding concern within the tourism sector regarding a lack of unity across the region and the need for stronger local involvement in tourism marketing and sales activities.

In the autumn of 2001, at the initiative of the East and West North Iceland Tourism Associations, the University of Akureyri was commissioned to prepare an assessment report on the proposal. In October 2002, it was decided to move forward with the project. The concept was subsequently presented to stakeholders throughout the region, from Hrútafjörður in the west to Bakkaflói in the east, through information meetings and the distribution of promotional materials. The project was also introduced to Members of Parliament representing the region, key figures within the tourism industry, marketing professionals at the Icelandic Tourist Board and Icelandair, as well as travel agencies abroad.

The North Iceland Tourism Marketing Office (Markaðsskrifstofa ferðamála á Norðurlandi – MFN) was formally established on 1 July 2003 as a limited company jointly owned in equal shares by the East and West North Iceland Tourism Associations.

Service agreements were concluded with the majority of municipalities in North Iceland, while cooperation agreements were also established with tourism businesses throughout the region.

Objectives of MFN at the Time of Its Establishment

• To strengthen the image of North Iceland as an attractive tourist destination.
• To coordinate the marketing and promotional activities of the tourism industry in North Iceland and increase the visibility of tourism businesses in the region.
• To provide a platform for cooperation and discussion on tourism development in North Iceland.
• To encourage innovation within the regional tourism industry.
• To strengthen cooperation among visitor information centres in North Iceland and coordinate visitor information services.
• To keep municipalities informed about developments and innovations within the tourism sector.
• To foster cooperation between public and private stakeholders in shaping a strategy for the region and promoting it internationally.
• To extend the tourism season, with particular emphasis on strengthening the shoulder seasons.

Role and Scope of Services

• To manage the overall promotion of North Iceland as a tourism destination in cooperation with tourism businesses and municipalities throughout the region.
• To produce and distribute promotional materials relating to tourism in North Iceland.
• To develop and maintain a tourism website for North Iceland and, upon request, provide links to municipal websites.
• To coordinate tourism strategy development for North Iceland in collaboration with tourism businesses and municipalities.
• To produce and distribute promotional materials and coordinate the general marketing of North Iceland as a tourism destination.
• To coordinate the promotional activities of visitor information centres throughout the region.
• To assist stakeholders in developing, packaging, and marketing new products, services, and events within the region.

Core Values

The following values underpin all activities of the North Iceland Tourism Marketing Office and its successor organization, Visit North Iceland (VNI):

• Professionalism
• Collaboration
• Vision and Foresight