Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland

Iceland: Arrivals of tourists from abroad was 698,000 arrivals in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
698,000 arrivals
Change on year
up 43.5%
World rank
115th
of 203 countries
All-time high
2.34 million arrivals
in 2018
All-time low
190,000 arrivals
in 1995
Years of data
27
1995–2021

Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland, 1995–2021

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M1995200820211995: 190.0k arrivals1996: 201.0k arrivals1997: 202.0k arrivals1998: 232.0k arrivals1999: 263.0k arrivals2000: 303.0k arrivals2001: 301.0k arrivals2002: 285.0k arrivals2003: 317.0k arrivals2004: 360.0k arrivals2005: 374.0k arrivals2006: 422.0k arrivals2007: 485.0k arrivals2008: 502.0k arrivals2009: 494.0k arrivals2010: 489.0k arrivals2011: 566.0k arrivals2012: 673.0k arrivals2013: 807.3k arrivals2014: 997.0k arrivals2015: 1.3M arrivals2016: 1.8M arrivals2017: 2.2M arrivals2018: 2.3M arrivals2019: 2.0M arrivals2020: 486.3k arrivals2021: 698.0k arrivals

Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in arrivals.

Analysis

The most recent figure for arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland is 698,000 arrivals, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 43.5% on the previous year and up 23.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland peaked at 2.34 million arrivals in 2018 and was at its lowest, 190,000 arrivals, in 1995.

Iceland ranks 115th of 203 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 217,600 arrivals 190,000 arrivals 263,000 arrivals 5
2000s 384,300 arrivals 285,000 arrivals 502,000 arrivals 10
2010s 1.32 million arrivals 489,000 arrivals 2.34 million arrivals 10
2020s 592,150 arrivals 486,300 arrivals 698,000 arrivals 2

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 112 Bolivia 724,000 arrivals compare
  2. 113 Sri Lanka 720,000 arrivals compare
  3. 114 Barbados 704,340 arrivals compare
  4. 116 United States Virgin Islands 684,800 arrivals compare
  5. 117 Nepal 614,800 arrivals compare
  6. 118 Gambia 570,000 arrivals compare

See the full ranking of 203 places →

More reference data data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland?
Arrivals of tourists from abroad in Iceland was 698,000 arrivals in 2021, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 2.34 million arrivals in 2018.
What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 190,000 arrivals in 1995.
How does Iceland rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad?
Iceland ranks 115th out of 203 countries with data for 2021.
Is arrivals of tourists from abroad rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Arrivals of tourists from abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Arrivals of tourists from abroad
Unit
arrivals
Source
UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
203 places, 5,187 data points, 1995–2024
Last refreshed

Number of trips by visitors who arrive from abroad and stay overnight.