Iceland introduces UK tourist 'cap' and will limit number of visitors
A popular destination has introduced a strict daily cruise passenger limit in a blow for UK tourists heading abroad. Iceland has become a go-to for British holidaymakers and tourists who want to head abroad to the nation to see the Northern Lights.
But Isafjordur, a town in Iceland’s northwest Westfjords region, said it expects to see 255,000 cruise passengers a year but has introduced some limits. Under a new cruise policy, the town will limit the number of visitors who can travel each day and will be capped at 5,000 passengers.
Gylfi Ólafsson, chair of Isafjordur’s municipal council, said: “The most significant change in this policy is that we set a limit on the number of passengers we can accommodate each day. If the tourism industry continues to enhance its infrastructure by purchasing more buses, improving services, and doing better for the people, ensuring there are restrooms and that services are open and available, then we can accommodate more guests with ease.”
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Responding to the cap, a Brit said: "Quite right. Thousands descend on places as multiple ships dock at the same time. No good for tourists or locals (except the ones selling tat). Norway are also stopping ships entering fjords later this year."
The town will also ban the tradition of blowing the horn when arriving or leaving the port in the Westfjords region of northwest Iceland. According to a spokesperson for the town council, the new policy will safeguard the long-term relationship between locals and the cruise industry.
Isafjordur is the third largest cruise ship port in Iceland, closely trailing behind Akureyri and Reykjavík in terms of size and capacity. The cruise season in Iceland runs from the end of winter in April, until the start of winter in September.
195 cruise ships are expected to visit Isafjordur this year with a maximum of 255,000 passengers.
