Airbnb banned in Vík, South Iceland

The picturesque coastal town of Vík in Mýrdalur county.

The picturesque coastal town of Vík in Mýrdalur county. Iceland Monitor/Sigurður Bogi Sævarsson

The district council of Mýrdalshreppur county, where the popular tourist spot of Vík lies, has decided to put a ban on all short-term rental within the community. 

"We want to enjoy all that the tourist industry delivers to the build up of our community," says head of the district council, Ásgeir Magnússon speaking to today's Morgunblaðið. 

"We also want to live in a traditional community where locals work within the county and pay their taxes. It's not of use to to us if noone actually lives in the buildings here and people only pay real estate taxes on them."

540 people live in Vík and surroundings and accommodation for visitors can take 1.300 people, which is the highest ratio in the whole of Iceland. 

Near Vík lies the beautiful Reynisfjara beach and Dyrhólaey, a rock formation by the coastline, very popular with tourists. 

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