Farmers who offer accommodation and tour operators for travelers in south Iceland have hardly received any cancellations for June and say that tourism this summer looks good. Trips have been organized to Skaftafell and the glaciers Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, among other locations.
From a glacier tour on Mýrdalsjökull. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Tourists who were already in Iceland when the eruption in Grímsvötn began have been understanding towards the situation and happy to change their travel plans, as Saevar Skaptason at Icelandic Farm Holidays, told Morgunbladid.
“We don’t accept cancellations if the customers can fly to the country. It is totally different from last year when there was a wave of cancellations as soon as the eruption began. […] Last year foreign journalists described the area as dangerous but now the first news of the eruption was on our terms,” Skaptason added.
“I believe tourism authorities have given a very accurate picture of us abroad. Soon there will be better times with flowers in the fields,” commented Erla Ívarsdóttir at the farm Geirland outside Kirkjubaejarklaustur, who runs a countryside hotel.
Helgi Eysteinsson at Iceland Travel said customers have been familiarizing themselves with the situation by asking questions but are much calmer than last year. He had taken people on tours of the West Fjords and north Iceland this month and is optimistic about the summer.
Jóhanna Jónsdóttir at Hunkubakkar, a farm which offers accommodation and was subject to some of the worst ash fall, said June is looking good, new customers from abroad have called to make requests and even booked accommodation in July.
Please note: The next issue of the print edition of Iceland Review will include extensive coverage of the eruption. If you subscribe now, you will receive a photo book by IR editor/photographer Páll Stefánsson of the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull as a gift.
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