A warning about the impact of growing tourism on Iceland’s fragile nature was raised as early as 1978, according to a report highlighted by Vísir. The report, written by a young association of wardens, described an “alarming development” linked to visitor numbers and urged the government to create a policy similar to what is now known as sustainable tourism.
In 1977, there were 72,690 foreign visitors to Iceland, Vísir reports. At the time, the wardens’ association flagged concerns about the pressure these visitors put on the country’s vulnerable environments. They specifically urged the authorities to develop strategies that would protect nature while managing the tourism industry.
The Iceland Touring Association (Ferðafélag Íslands), a voluntary group dedicated to outdoor recreation in Iceland, is one example of an Icelandic association involved in nature conservation and providing facilities to hikers and tourists. Such groups have long worked to balance access to nature with its preservation.
Sources
Links: pinterest.com
- Bændablaðið (first reported) in Icelandic
- Vísir in Icelandic
Image: Bar Harel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
