Eliza Reid, wife of current Icelandic President Gudni Johannesson and former UN tourism ambassador, believes that safety, respect, and the ability to communicate with locals are factors that make this Nordic island nation a magnet for both domestic and international tourists.
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| Iceland's First Lady, Eliza Reid. |
In July 2017, Eliza Reid and her husband, Gudni Johannesson, celebrated their wedding anniversary in Reykjavik, Iceland. It was a summer evening, and many people were out strolling. Reid suggested they take a walk after the party. However, President Gudni Johannesson was initially hesitant because he didn't want to encounter a crowd obsessed with taking selfies.
“I told my husband there was no need to worry,” Reid recalled, and she was right. “We went outside and, of course, nobody recognized him because it was mostly tourists.”
In the 20 years since moving to Iceland to live and work, Eliza Reid (of Canadian origin) has witnessed the tourism industry in this Nordic island nation skyrocket, with tourist numbers increasing dramatically from a modest few hundred thousand to over 2 million visitors annually before the Covid-19 pandemic. This is truly a remarkable achievement for a country like Iceland with a population of less than 400,000.
The boom in Iceland's tourism industry, which Reid believes has brought both opportunities and challenges to this Nordic nation, is a transformation she has witnessed and participated in.
In 2016, when her husband was elected the new President of Iceland, Reid was working as an editor for a magazine distributed on Iceland Airlines flights. Three years later, as First Lady, Reid took on the dual role of promoting trade and advertising Iceland as a tourist destination.
In a conversation with a New York Times reporter, the First Lady of Iceland shared her thoughts on how tourists can meet Icelanders and her perspective on the term "overtourism."
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Iceland's tourism industry has shown a remarkable boom in the 20 years since she arrived in the country. How did that transformation happen?
Travel has opened our eyes to so much more. You can notice an increase in destinations if you fly directly from Iceland, and a greater number of restaurants and cafes in Reykjavik. Shops and many places also stay open later and for longer periods than before.
Icelanders love to travel. They are always curious and interested in the outside world, and they are also happy if the outside world is interested in us. You can see that in the statistics on Icelanders' feelings towards tourism here, because the tourism industry contributes greatly to the Icelandic economy and we are very proud of this country.
In her book, "The Secrets of Sprakkar: The Extraordinary Women of Iceland and How They Are Changing the World ," she argues that tourism played a role in helping Iceland emerge from the 2008 economic crisis.
Yes, an economic crisis emerged, and there was also a volcanic eruption. At first glance, both seem negative, but there were also some benefits.
Volcanic eruptions brought European transport to a standstill, and many realized Iceland was much closer than they had imagined. Iceland wasn't remote or inaccessible, and in a way, it offered a certain wonder. Then, we witnessed a tourism boom.
You know, 25 years ago when I first went to Iceland, people I met would ask in surprise, "You mean to go to Iceland?" Now people would answer, "Oh, I'll go," or "My neighbor is going," or "I want to go." Iceland has become much more present in people's memories.
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Immediately after the 2010 volcanic eruption, Iceland's tourism promotion campaign, "Inspired by Iceland," was launched. I understand that over 25% of Iceland's workforce participated in that initiative.
People are inviting their friends to visit Iceland. I joined in, and so did many others. The campaign was brilliantly executed and conveyed many important messages about sustainability, as well as the Icelandic people's commitment to responsible tourism.
I think tourists want to learn about the countries they visit and what the destination has to offer, the problem is that sometimes they don't know how to find that information. The Icelandic pledge is a great way to remind people to treat nature well and to make sure you have a travel plan in place in case something happens.
In her book, she suggests that one of the best ways for tourists to get acquainted with Icelanders is to soak in a hot tub at a geothermal pool. Why?
They say if you want to meet an Englishman, go to a pub; if you want to meet a Frenchman, go to a café. And certainly in Iceland, you should go to a swimming pool, because that's where you can meet people – morning, afternoon, or evening. And I recommend that visitors try different types of pools, because they all have their own unique characteristics and you can meet many different kinds of people. These places are always clean and affordable, and that's something all the locals promise.
Reading her book, I felt that the Icelandic community is becoming increasingly diverse, yet remains very close-knit.
Over the weekend, I had to buy a bra – you know, it was a fun experience. I was talking to the woman who worked in the store, and the woman in the changing room next door said, “I know that voice.” And it was our Chief Medical Officer – like Anthony Fauci of Iceland. And we laughed that only in Iceland did we coincidentally run into each other in a lingerie shop. The next day I coincidentally ran into her again in the grocery store. And you think: Iceland is a small country.
A few years before the pandemic, Iceland began attracting media attention for "tourism overload"?
In my opinion, "tourism overload" is an unfair term. Yes, the number of tourists has increased, and the percentage increase is significant, but much of that is related to seasonality. People used to come in the summer because you couldn't be anywhere in the countryside in the winter. But now, two-thirds of tourists travel in other seasons as well, not just the summer months. They come to our country year-round and do more sightseeing.
In larger cities in Europe, you'll find challenges with accommodation and affordable housing. We see that here too. But overall, I think tourism is a good thing if it's managed properly and we have long-term sustainable plans. Tourism brings capital to the economy. That's why it's good to have more family-owned and operated businesses. We need large corporations; they're paying a lot of taxes.
In 2017, she was appointed as the United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and Sustainable Development Goals.
2017 was the United Nations Year of Sustainable Tourism, and I was delighted to be given that role. I think the sustainability aspect is very, very important. It aligns with a lot of my personal interests, also because so many women work in the tourism industry. And I'm really interested in exploring this idea of tourism as a path to peace, especially in areas that have previously experienced conflict.
What does she hope people can learn from a visit to this Nordic island nation?
I think when we travel, we remember the people we meet, the cultural experiences we have, and everything that comes with it. I'm reading Stanley Tucci's book, and he calls Icelandic food a discovery. I think he was expecting pickled ram testicles and rotting shark – but he had this amazing meal. And that's something we remember from our trips.
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