Will 2024 Be One of Iceland’s Busiest Tourism Years Ever?

As of January 15th, 2024, Keflavík International Airport (KEF) has stated that they are gearing up to host a whopping 8.5 million passengers this year, making it one of their busiest years ever. Yep, you heard it right, this little volcanic island is becoming more of a hotspot than ever before!I know 8.5 million sounds like a lot, because it is, but I will put that into context during this episode because there much more to the story. Why 2024 Can Be a Record-Breaking Year in Iceland? So, what's the scoop? Well, compared to last year, we're looking at a 9.6% jump in visitors. This is both during the bustling summer months and the magical, aurora-filled winters, which usually have less people.This year, a record-breaking 2.38 million international visitors are expected to actually visit Iceland, edging past the previous record set back in 2018. The growth isn't just in the summer; winter tourism is getting a big boost too, with a 13.4% increase in visitors braving the cold for some icy adventures.But it's not just about sightseeing. With more people passing through, about 30% are just here for a quick layover. Still, every visit counts, and it's a great chance for folks to get a taste of Iceland, even if it's just a glimpse from the airport.When the airport reports numbers like 8.5 million passengers, they are counting departures, arrivals, and transfers. For 2024, the number of departures is estimated to be about 2.98 mil, arrivals are about 2.99 mil, and transfers are about 2.5 mil. After rounding up, you have 8.5 million passengers. Keflavík International Airport is Expanding to Meet the Demand Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson, the guy steering the ship at KEF, is all in on this uptick, especially the winter warriors coming to enjoy Iceland in its frosty glory. It's great for business and even better for showing off our year-round appeal.And to make sure everyone's visit is smooth and enjoyable, KEF's been on a bit of a building spree. Last year saw new spaces for check-ins and luggage, plus a shiny new taxiway to keep things moving smoothly. And there's more on the horizon, with a new wing set to open later this year, packing in more gates and even more spots for shopping and dining. Now, you might wonder how KEF figures all this out. It's all about keeping a keen eye on travel trends, checking out airline schedules, and crunching numbers to predict how many folks will be coming through. Rules Changing For Visitors to Iceland that ae From Outside the Schengen area And with all these visitors, there's going to be a buzz around the new ETIAS system kicking off in May 2025. The ETIAS is The European Travel Information and Authorisation System.It's a new travel requirement for a lot of international visitors, so with Iceland's popularity soaring, the ETIAS applications are expected to go through the roof, especially with those extra winter visitors. From the ETIAS website: “It was announced by the European Commission in November 2016 and was implemented into legislation in September 2018. The intention of forming the system was to improve the security of EU member states within the Schengen region by capturing data on travellers that currently visit the area without a visa. The ETIAS will pre-screen travellers from "third-countries", who are citizens from countries not needing a Schengen Visa. The screening would pertain to terrorism or migration related risks. The objective is to identify individuals who pose security threats before they are able to travel to the Schengen area. ETIAS is not a visa, it is a visa waiver, similar to the U.S. ESTA and Canadian eTA. Travelers currently visiting European Member countries visa-free,