It appears that a number of foreign tourists will celebrate New Year’s Eve in Iceland in less than four weeks. Some of the larger hotels in Reykjavík were already fully booked for New Year’s a few weeks back.

New Year's Eve in Reykjavík. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.

“There has been a constant increase in the past years and the number of bookings may even be higher now than last year, Hildur Ómarsdóttir, director of the sale and marketing division of Icelandair Hotels, told Morgunblaðið.*

Hildur said she has noticed an increase in guests from the US but also from many European countries.

“We are fully booked at Hotel Saga,” added Valgerður Ósk Ómarsdóttir, sale and marketing director of Radisson Blu Hotel Saga. “There is more demand than last year and some time since we were fully booked.”

Valgerður said they are expecting a number of visitors from Russia, as well as the US, Switzerland, France and Japan.

Some of the larger hotels offer bus tours to bonfires and fireworks shows on December 31, followed by festive dinners and dancing.

ESA