UK and US Visitors Still Lead Iceland Tourism

2026-03-11 - 14:55

Passenger departures by foreign visitors through Keflavík International Airport totalled about 147,000 in February, according to figures published by the Icelandic Tourist Board. The number represents a 0.9% decrease compared with February 2025. What's the Story? Around 147,000 foreign passenger departures through Keflavík International Airport in February, according to the Icelandic Tourist Board 0.9% decrease compared with February 2025 in the tourism board’s measurement of foreign visitors Largest groups by nationality from the United Kingdom and United States; Chinese travellers third with year-on-year increase Tourists at Geysir geothermal area. Photo: Golli. Iceland Review. Tourism Trends Update The measurement, based on departures from the airport, is used to estimate the total number of international tourists visiting Iceland and to analyse visitor nationality trends. Travellers from the United Kingdom and the United States remained the largest visitor groups during the month, continuing a long-standing pattern in Iceland’s tourism market. However, both groups recorded a slight decline compared with the same period last year. Visitors from China formed the third-largest group of departing passengers in February, with numbers rising significantly year-on-year. Data from the Tourist Board also indicates that trips abroad by residents of Iceland have declined since 2025. Tourism remains a major sector of the Icelandic economy, with visitor numbers and travel patterns closely monitored by national authorities.