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Overtourism in Iceland: Fantasy or Reality?

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir

    (Department of Geography & Tourism, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • C. Michael Hall

    (Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
    Department of Service Management and Service Studies, Lund University, Campus Helsingborg, 25108 Helsingborg, Sweden
    Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland)

  • Margrét Wendt

    (Department of Geography & Tourism, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland)

Abstract

Iceland has been one of the main destinations that have been incorporated into the discourse of overtourism. However, Iceland is different to many other supposed overtourism destinations in that its tourism is based on natural areas. Nevertheless, destination discourses can play an important part in influencing tourist decision-making and government and industry policy making. A media analysis was conducted of 507 online media articles on overtourism in Iceland that were published in 2018, with the main themes being identified via content analysis. The results indicated that the media discourse represented only a partial picture of overtourism and the crowding phenomenon in Iceland, with mechanisms to respond to crowding, the satisfaction level of tourists with their Icelandic nature experience, and local people’s support for tourism being underreported. Some of the findings reflect that of other media analyses. However, there are considerable discontinuities between media representations and discourses of overtourism in Iceland, which highlight the importance of national- or destination-level media analysis. The media analysis illustrates the need for a better understanding of different destination discourses and their influence.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir & C. Michael Hall & Margrét Wendt, 2020. "Overtourism in Iceland: Fantasy or Reality?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-25, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7375-:d:410718
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. C. Michael Hall & Kimberley J. Wood, 2021. "Demarketing Tourism for Sustainability: Degrowing Tourism or Moving the Deckchairs on the Titanic?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Guomin Li & Wei Li & Yinke Dou & Yigang Wei, 2022. "Antarctic Shipborne Tourism: Carbon Emission and Mitigation Path," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Margrét Wendt & Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir & Edda R. H. Waage, 2022. "A Break from Overtourism: Domestic Tourists Reclaiming Nature during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Jon Geir Petursson & Dadi Mar Kristofersson, 2021. "Co-Management of Protected Areas: A Governance System Analysis of Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, June.

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