The majority of shops and services in Reykjavik and other major cities extend their opening hours in the run up to Christams until December 23rd, most staying open until 10pm.

Christmas traditions in Iceland are closely linked to the 13 Yule Lads. Their home is believed to be at Mývatn in North Iceland, where numerous events take place the weeks before Christmas.

Nights spent in hotel rooms in Iceland during the first nine months of the year increased by 14 percent this year. The total number of guest nights totaled 1,644,808 for the period, according to the latest data from Statistics Iceland.

Out of 162 countries, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world. This is according to a new survey by the Global Peace Index.

Seventy-three thousand foreign tourists left the country via Keflavík International Airport in the month of September. This is 8,500 more people than the same month last year, an increase of 13 percent.

From October 2012– July 2013, The Boston Consulting Group conducted an independent report on the long-term tourism strategy of Destination Iceland.

Iceland has a lot to offer for those who choose to use a bike to discover the land of fire and ice. This summer a unique map was released where travellers can in one place find practical information, a list of bicycle related services and public transportation.

NATA (North Atlantic Tourism Association) is an organisation that promotes and supports cooperation in tourism for the West Nordic countries: Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

The editors at Lonely Planet have selected Lonely Planet’s Top 10 European Destinations for 2013, the ten places they think travellers should be heading in Europe right now. Among them is North Iceland.

The Icelandic Tourist Board has issued safety guidelines intended for service operators in the tourist industry who offer leisure tours and excursions, that is, travel agencies and tour operators.