Highlights From the Land of Ice and Fire
Our recent study tour to Iceland provided a unique blend of professional development and exploration of this country's tourism landscape.
Over six days, we talked with industry leaders, delved into Iceland's innovative tourism practices, and experienced the country's natural beauty.
The tour was the perfect blend of professional insights and high-quality experiences.
Highlights
6 days of intense networking and intense leisure (work hard, play hard)
A delegation of 6 travel professionals
6 meetings and presentations from Iceland’s finest in travel
2 full leisure days, exploring Iceland’s wild nature
Lava and ice from up close
Here's a longer overview:
Business and whisky
We started our first formal day with a tour of our hotel. Then we moved on by meeting with the Iceland Tourism Cluster.
After that, we met with the Icelandic Tourist Board.
It was amazing to hear and see firsthand how tourism is a major driver of economic growth in Iceland.
They went from 500K to 2 mil tourists in only 3 years!
With such high growth in a very short period of time, good management is needed.
That's why the cluster is working hard on connecting diverse stakeholders in the industry and the tourist board is busy with regenerative aspects.
We finished our day strong - by visiting the only whisky distillery in Iceland - Eimverk Distillery.
This was considered as one of the biggest highlights and it was simply because of the amazing storytelling from our guide.
Even though we were all on countless tastings before, this one blew our minds.
Waterfalls, geysers and tomatoes
This day was all about leisure and learning from good practices in tourism. Blessed with good weather and strong winds, we set off on the journey along the Golden Circle.
Apart from the amazing waterfalls and geysers, we got to visit the only tomato farm in Iceland, Fridheimar.
Their testament to sustainability and hospitality was a big insight for us as there are countless opportunities such as this one in rural areas around Europe and the world.
Whether you're a hotelier, travel agent or chef, you're in the experience economy.
And to be on top of your industry, you have to keep your eyes open and learn constantly.
In the travel and hospitality industry, that simply means to travel and visit good practices.
And that’s what we did.
Sometimes it doesn’t need to be a top-tier professional attraction. A geyser found off the beaten track can blow your mind and make it a highlight of the day.
🍆, 🔥 and 🧊
The second leisure day on Sunday consisted of 3 highlights:
1️⃣ We started the morning with a visit to the Icelandic Phallological Museum (Penis museum 🍆).
It may seem a weird stop on our tour (it was a bit), but the museum is a showcase of how you can create an experience out of every individual's curiosity and make it one of the most visited attractions in the country.
2️⃣ Then we went to see the Lava Show, the only real indoor lava exhibition in the world!
It has been rated as a top attraction in Iceland for the past few years and it deserves the title. The guide, video and the lava presentation were amazing.
3️⃣ We ended the day with a visit to the Hvammsvik Hot Springs & Nature Resort.
Hot springs in the wild with mountain views are incredible - besides relaxing before our busy Monday, we saw what can be done with natural resources.
More networking and some culture
On Monday we met with the largest travel-tech company in Iceland, GODO.
They work with more than 1K properties, helping them be visible online and scale. They are proof of what can be done on a local basis.
After that, we met with one of the largest tour operators in Iceland, Arctic Adventures.
A company that started 40 years ago with a couple selling rafting tours and has grown to a big player with more than 200 employees. It was great to see first-hand how such a company works.
When we finished with our meetings and group discussions, we visited Perlan, an interactive museum in Reykjavik. We again dove deeper into Icelandic culture, geography and other natural and political effects that influence the growth or decline of tourism here.
Our final conclusion of the tour happened on the departure day at breakfast. We were all surprised how tourism plays a major role in Iceland’s economy.
Apart from planned encounters, the unplanned ones were the ones that made the tour what it was.
Join us next year?
This tour wasn't just about seeing new places but understanding the forces shaping travel trends in a unique destination like Iceland.
From innovative tourism management to the integration of technology, Iceland offered valuable lessons for any travel and hospitality professional looking to stay ahead and build professional connections.
Based on the insights we got and proof there’s much more to learn and see in Iceland, we decided to come back to Iceland next year!
If you want to experience wild Icelandic nature, learn from top-tier travel professionals and expand your professional network, apply to be a part of our next Iceland study tour!
When: 13 - 18 May 2025 (6 days/5 nights)
Price: 1.400€ per person (on a double-bed basis)
Pay as little as 400€ to secure your spot on the tour now! Pay the rest up to 3 months to departure.
If you apply until May 15, 2024, you get a 100€ discount.
If you need more information before you commit, book a call with me here.
Stay tuned for more opportunities to gain exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and connect with professionals in the travel industry.
For example, you can join Jaka and Dejan on a quest for indigenous knowledge across the vast landscapes of Australia in September 2024.
Details of the program will be announced shortly. To express your interest, please click here and fill out the form.