Only 600 Passengers Arrive a Day

Since August 19, when new rules took effect at Icelandic borders, requiring all arriving passengers to be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival, spend 4-5 days in quarantine and then be tested again, the number of arriving passengers has dropped considerably, mbl.is reports.

On average, only 600 passengers arrive in the country a day. That number is expected to go down even further in September, Páll Þórhallsson, office manager at the Prime Ministry, stated at a press conference yesterday.

The number of arrivals of private planes is substantially down as well, as well as that of passengers arriving in Seyðisfjörður, the East Fjords, by the ferry Norræna.

Clearly, there is not much demand for typical weekend trips, as a result of the strict measures at the border.

The pandemic is still on the rise in many parts of the world, and it remains unclear what effect that will have on tourism in the countries around us, Páll stated.

Rules regarding disease prevention at the border are in effect through September 14. By that time, they will be reassessed, he stated.