Iceland's spectacular landscape has played host to a tourism boom in recent years. The number of foreign visitors touching down in the country increased by nearly 16% last year alone.
The view from Iceland —
Iceland's spectacular landscape has played host to a tourism boom in recent years. The number of foreign visitors touching down in the country increased by nearly 16% last year alone.
Courtesy Finnur Andresson
Iceland's spectacular tourism growth is all the more remarkable given the enormous financial challenges it faced as recently as 2008. Back then the IMF stepped in to prop up the country's ailing economy.
Bouncing back —
Iceland's spectacular tourism growth is all the more remarkable given the enormous financial challenges it faced as recently as 2008. Back then the IMF stepped in to prop up the country's ailing economy.
AFP/Getty Images/Leon Neal
Tourists bathe in the famous Blue Lagoon just outside Reykjavik. The natural hot-water springs are one of the country's leading tourist attractions.
Hot springs —
Tourists bathe in the famous Blue Lagoon just outside Reykjavik. The natural hot-water springs are one of the country's leading tourist attractions.
AFP/Getty Images/Leon Neal
Lucky visitors can also spot the northern lights whilst glaciers and geysers are a common site through the country's sparsely populated rural hinterland.
Northern lights —
Lucky visitors can also spot the northern lights whilst glaciers and geysers are a common site through the country's sparsely populated rural hinterland.
Courtesy Bjorn Ludviksson
Ash billows from the Eyjafjoell volcano in May 2010. The eruption disrupted 100,000 flights but failed to dent Iceland's long-term tourism growth.
Ash cloud —
Ash billows from the Eyjafjoell volcano in May 2010. The eruption disrupted 100,000 flights but failed to dent Iceland's long-term tourism growth.
AFP/Getty Images/File
Iceland's president, ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, says he hopes Iceland will be welcoming upwards of two million tourists a year by 2020.
Planning for the future —
Iceland's president, ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, says he hopes Iceland will be welcoming upwards of two million tourists a year by 2020.
AFP/Getty Images/File