43% increase in tourist arrivals in February

February 2013 was a yet another record month in terms of international tourist arrivals to Iceland, according to the Icelandic Tourist Board tally at Keflavík International Airport. Forty thousand tourists left the country in February, or 12 thousand more than in the same month in 2012. This represents a 43.2% increase.

Threefold increase in tourist arrivals from 2003 to 2013

Tourist arrivals have increased by an average of 12,8% on an annual basis since 2003. Numbers of tourists have more than tripled in that period, increasing from 13 thousand to 40 thousand.

British visitors 40% of tourists

Most tourists in February came from the UK (39.9%). Tourists from the United States were 13.4% of the total, Norwegians 8.0%, Germans 5.7%, French 4.2% and Danes (4.0%). Altogether these six nations count for nearly three-quarters of tourists in February. Tourists from UK, Americans and Germans also showed the highest increase in numbers in February.

Significant increase from all market areas

If we look at individual market areas a 56.0% increase is observed from Central and Southern Europe, 51.8% from the UK, 37.7% from North America, 16.6% from the Nordic countries and 45.2% from countries that are classified as 'other nationalities'.

Tourist arrivals from the beginning of 2013

So far this year, 73,269 foreign tourists have left the country via Keflavik International Airport, 19 thousand more than in the same period last year. This represents a 35.5% increase. A substantial increase has been observed from most markets; from Britain by 48.8%, visitors from Central and South Europe 40.2%, North Americans about 32.6%, and tourists from other markets around 38.4%. Scandinavians have increased by less, or 8.3%.