The vast majority of inhabitants of Reykjavík have a favourable attitude to tourists

Inhabitants in the capital area of Reykjavík generally still have a favourable view of tourists, as they did last year, according to a survey carried out in April for Visit Reykjavík. In the intervening year the number of tourists has increased greatly: in the first four months of 2016 visitor numbers were 35% up on the same period in 2015, according to figures from the Iceland Tourist Board. 
 

The vast majority of respondents take pride in living in a city which is welcoming to visitors; and the majority believe that residents are hospitable towards tourists. Tourists themselves also meet with approval: the vast majority feel that visitors are friendly towards local people. A majority expressed the view that the positive aspects of tourism outweighed the negative ones, and that increased tourist numbers had a positive effect on the economy of the capital area. The survey was submitted to residents in all postal distracts of the capital area between 11 and 26 April 2016. The survey concluded that 94.5% of residents see tourists favourably, quite favourably or very favourably. Only 5.5% expressed a negative view. 
 

A majority of respondents (68%) feel that the positive aspects of tourism outweigh the negative ones. In general, inhabitants of the capital area take great pride in living in a city that is welcoming to visitors (nearly 86%). And nine out of ten people in the capital area feel that residents are hospitable, quite hospitable or very hospitable.
 

A majority of residents of the capital area feel that there has been an increase in leisure activities and services after the rise in tourist numbers: 96% expressed the view there was more choice of restaurants, and nine out of ten said that there was more choice of cafés. Nearly 74% say that commerce has increased, just over 65% that there has been an increase in leisure activities, and 60% that more cultural activities are available. Interestingly, while 73% of residents feel that commerce has been boosted with rising tourist numbers, 43% feel that there is less variety in retail, and 31% that there is more variety. 
 

Nine out of ten residents in the capital area feel that tourists are friendly; interestingly, a slightly larger proportion (nearly 95%) of residents in the centre of Reykjavík feel that tourists are friendly. 

This is the second time such a survey has been carried out for Visit Reykjavík. The survey was carried out and analysed by the Maskína market research company.