Planning Nature Tourism in Iceland based on Tourist Attitudes

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of the various kinds of nature tourism practised at five different nature destinations in Iceland: Mývatn, the national parks Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur, and the Highland destinations Landmannalaugar and Lónsöræfi. The study analyses visitors' experiences, types of tourists visiting the different areas, their travel patterns, wishes for infrastructure, and their satisfaction with available services. The results are put into the context of Carrying Capacity, the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), and the Purist Scale, and suggestions are made about how to plan and manage nature tourism in Iceland. The results show, for example, that in those parts of the Icelandic Highlands, where few changes have been made to the natural environment, purists should be the target group. Their satisfaction does not increase with more infrastructure and services; on the contrary, they prefer to travel in as natural an environment as possible. Travel destinations in the lowland areas should, on the other hand, invest further in infrastructure and services, thereby catering better for the needs of those that visit them.

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