IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i10p4257-d1651363.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

New Winds: Tourist Attitudes Toward Wind Energy Projects in Iceland

Author

Listed:
  • Edita Tverijonaite

    (Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Dunhaga 5, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland)

  • Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir

    (Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Dunhaga 5, 107 Reykjavik, Iceland)

  • Zsuzsanna Kövi

    (Institute of Psychology, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, 1037 Budapest, Hungary)

Abstract

With increasing wind energy infrastructure developments, better understanding of its impacts on tourism is needed. This study examines international visitors’ attitudes toward wind farms in Iceland and investigates how locational factors affect their compatibility with tourism. Based on a survey answered by 1005 departing visitors, this study reveals that 92% are concerned about climate change. However, a lower proportion, 76%, support the use of wind energy in Iceland. Central European visitors are the most likely to be negatively affected by wind energy development, while Asian visitors showed the greatest interest in visiting a wind farm in Iceland. Among visitors from the leading countries of origin, French tourists were the most negative toward wind energy development in Iceland. Wind farms were perceived as most suitable in industrial, offshore, and agricultural areas, whereas their suitability was considered lowest in national parks and other protected natural areas and cultural heritage areas. Positive attitudes toward the use of wind energy positively affected the perceived suitability of wind farms in all of the discussed areas, while a lower perceived compatibility of wind farms with the tourist experience had a negative effect. The study highlights the importance of careful spatial planning and participatory approaches to improve compatibility between tourism and harnessing wind energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Edita Tverijonaite & Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir & Zsuzsanna Kövi, 2025. "New Winds: Tourist Attitudes Toward Wind Energy Projects in Iceland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4257-:d:1651363
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4257/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4257/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nawri, Nikolai & Petersen, Guðrún Nína & Bjornsson, Halldór & Hahmann, Andrea N. & Jónasson, Kristján & Hasager, Charlotte Bay & Clausen, Niels-Erik, 2014. "The wind energy potential of Iceland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 290-299.
    2. Anna Dóra Sæþórsdóttir & Margrét Wendt & Edita Tverijonaite, 2021. "Wealth of Wind and Visitors: Tourist Industry Attitudes towards Wind Energy Development in Iceland," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, June.
    3. Martin Beer & Radim Rybár & Michal Kaľavský, 2018. "Renewable energy sources as an attractive element of industrial tourism," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(18), pages 2139-2151, December.
    4. Devine-Wright, Patrick & Wiersma, Bouke, 2020. "Understanding community acceptance of a potential offshore wind energy project in different locations: An island-based analysis of ‘place-technology fit’," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Elia, A. & Taylor, M. & Ó Gallachóir, B. & Rogan, F., 2020. "Wind turbine cost reduction: A detailed bottom-up analysis of innovation drivers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    6. Philipp Beiter & Aubryn Cooperman & Eric Lantz & Tyler Stehly & Matt Shields & Ryan Wiser & Thomas Telsnig & Lena Kitzing & Volker Berkhout & Yuka Kikuchi, 2021. "Wind power costs driven by innovation and experience with further reductions on the horizon," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(5), September.
    7. Salak, B. & Kienast, F. & Olschewski, R. & Spielhofer, R. & Wissen Hayek, U. & Grêt-Regamey, A. & Hunziker, M., 2022. "Impact on the perceived landscape quality through renewable energy infrastructure. A discrete choice experiment in the context of the Swiss energy transition," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 299-308.
    8. Broekel, Tom & Alfken, Christoph, 2015. "Gone with the wind? The impact of wind turbines on tourism demand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 506-519.
    9. Hevia-Koch, Pablo & Klinge Jacobsen, Henrik, 2019. "Comparing offshore and onshore wind development considering acceptance costs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 9-19.
    10. Arnberger, Arne & Eder, Renate & Allex, Brigitte & Preisel, Hemma & Ebenberger, Martin & Husslein, Maria, 2018. "Trade-offs between wind energy, recreational, and bark-beetle impacts on visual preferences of national park visitors," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 166-177.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bidwell, David, 2023. "Tourists are people too: Nonresidents’ values, beliefs, and acceptance of a nearshore wind farm," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Kiunke, Theresa & Gemignani, Natalia & Malheiro, Pedro & Brudermann, Thomas, 2022. "Key factors influencing onshore wind energy development: A case study from the German North Sea region," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    3. Vrhovac, Božana & Müller, Stefanie & Sun, Xue & Grêt-Regamey, Adrienne & Buchecker, Matthias, 2025. "Advancing shared energy transition through strategic regional future developments," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    4. Russell McKenna & Stefan Pfenninger & Heidi Heinrichs & Johannes Schmidt & Iain Staffell & Katharina Gruber & Andrea N. Hahmann & Malte Jansen & Michael Klingler & Natascha Landwehr & Xiaoli Guo Lars', 2021. "Reviewing methods and assumptions for high-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy potential assessments," Papers 2103.09781, arXiv.org.
    5. McKenna, Russell & Pfenninger, Stefan & Heinrichs, Heidi & Schmidt, Johannes & Staffell, Iain & Bauer, Christian & Gruber, Katharina & Hahmann, Andrea N. & Jansen, Malte & Klingler, Michael & Landwehr, 2022. "High-resolution large-scale onshore wind energy assessments: A review of potential definitions, methodologies and future research needs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 659-684.
    6. le Maitre, Julia & Ryan, Geraldine & Power, Bernadette & Sirr, Gordon, 2024. "Mechanisms to promote household investment in wind energy: A national experimental survey," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    7. Marcel Bednarz & Tom Broekel, 2020. "Pulled or pushed? The spatial diffusion of wind energy between local demand and supply," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(4), pages 893-916.
    8. Upham, Dr Paul & Sovacool, Prof Benjamin & Ghosh, Dr Bipashyee, 2022. "Just transitions for industrial decarbonisation: A framework for innovation, participation, and justice," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Fazelpour, Farivar & Markarian, Elin & Soltani, Nima, 2017. "Wind energy potential and economic assessment of four locations in Sistan and Balouchestan province in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 646-667.
    10. Gardt Manuel & Broekel Tom & Gareis Philipp & Litmeyer Marie-Louise, 2018. "Einfluss von Windenergieanlagen auf die Entwicklung des Tourismus in Hessen," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 62(1), pages 46-64, March.
    11. Hübner, Gundula & Leschinger, Valentin & Müller, Florian J.Y. & Pohl, Johannes, 2023. "Broadening the social acceptance of wind energy – An Integrated Acceptance Model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    12. Xsitaaz T. Chadee & Naresh R. Seegobin & Ricardo M. Clarke, 2017. "Optimizing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model for Mapping the Near-Surface Wind Resources over the Southernmost Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-23, July.
    13. Mitsch, Frieder & McNeil, Andrew, 2022. "Political implications of ‘green’ infrastructure in one’s ‘backyard’: the Green Party’s Catch 22?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115269, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Rezaei, Mostafa & Akimov, Alexandr & Gray, Evan MacA., 2024. "Techno-economics of renewable hydrogen export: A case study for Australia-Japan," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 374(C).
    15. Gordon, Joel A. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Nabavi, Seyed Ali, 2022. "Homes of the future: Unpacking public perceptions to power the domestic hydrogen transition," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    16. Zilong, Ti & Xiao Wei, Deng, 2022. "Layout optimization of offshore wind farm considering spatially inhomogeneous wave loads," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    17. Wagon, Felix & Fridgen, Gilbert & Tiefenbeck, Verena, 2024. "Shaping stable support: Leveraging digital feedback interventions to elicit socio-Political acceptance of renewable energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    18. Fazelpour, Farivar & Soltani, Nima & Soltani, Sina & Rosen, Marc A., 2015. "Assessment of wind energy potential and economics in the north-western Iranian cities of Tabriz and Ardabil," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 87-99.
    19. Dibaj, Ali & Gao, Zhen & Nejad, Amir R., 2023. "Fault detection of offshore wind turbine drivetrains in different environmental conditions through optimal selection of vibration measurements," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 161-176.
    20. Qiu, Yue & Zhou, Suyang & Wang, Jihua & Chou, Jun & Fang, Yunhui & Pan, Guangsheng & Gu, Wei, 2020. "Feasibility analysis of utilising underground hydrogen storage facilities in integrated energy system: Case studies in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4257-:d:1651363. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.