Icelandic canyon closed to tourists due to influx of Justin Bieber fans

An Icelandic tourist hotspot has been closed to the public after feeling the pressure of increased visitors following its inclusion in a Justin Bieber music video.

Fjadrárgljúfur, in the south east of the country, dates back two million years to the Ice Age, but is not able to cope with the footfall provided by thousands of Beliebers.

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The video for the 25-year-old singer’s track I’ll Show You was filmed at the 300-foot deep canyon and fans have been inspired to visit the location since then.

Since its release in November 2015, the official version of the video on YouTube has been viewed more than 400 million times.

The Environment Agency of Iceland estimates that one million people have journeyed to Fjadrárgljúfur since the video was released, and those numbers are putting a strain on the landscape.

Associated Press reports that the location now has “deep scars” in its vegetation and has been open for just five weeks this year.

“Rash behavior by one famous person can dramatically impact an entire area if the mass follows,” said Environment Minister Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson.

He said it is “a bit too simplistic” to blame Bieber for the entire issue, but said celebrities must shoulder some responsibility.

Gudbrandsson added: “In Justin Bieber’s defence, the canyon did not, at the time he visited, have rope fences and designated paths to show what was allowed and what not.”

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The Canadian pop idol has 106 million followers on Twitter and 113 million followers on Instagram.

Icelandic locations have become popular for musicians, as well as for film and television crews, leading to an uptick in visitor numbers.

More than two million tourists visited Iceland in 2018, dwarfing the number of just 600,000 who came eight years ago.