Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Iceland
Ruins near Strandir in the Westfjords, a region rumoured for magic and sorcery.
Attraction of the Month, Iceland
Uncovering Iceland World travellers have turned their eye to Iceland over the last few years and the trend du jour is to visit this volcanic island before it is too late – before mass tourism takes away from its earnest authenticity. Not everyone sees this increase in visitors as a reason to hurry, however, but rather as a chance to introduce the world to Icelandic country charm. By Edda Kentish | Photos: Hey Iceland
At Hey Iceland, innovation is as characteristic of the company culture as lunar landscapes, tongue-twisting volcanoes and enthusiastic sports fans are of Iceland. The company was founded in 1991, but can trace its origins to 1965 when five farms were chosen to rent out rooms to curious explorers who wanted to stay at a farm in the Icelandic countryside on their holiday. This experiment, as it was slated, proved so successful that the five farms booked 330 nights between 122 | Issue 93 | October 2016
them in their first year, and all guests came from abroad. When the farming industry fell on hard times in the early 1970s, the experiment was no longer a side project for a few farms, but a stable business in its own right with locations all over the country. Now, Hey Iceland is a country-wide network of over 170 hospitality operators that offer accommodation in the broadest
of senses. Everything from humble guesthouses and rustic farm stays to comfortable country hotels is available.
Slow does not mean boring Despite striking the proverbial gold in tourism decades before Iceland appeared on travellers’ horizons, Hey Iceland has maintained a steady, forward-thinking view, taking nothing for granted. Formerly named Icelandic Farm Holidays, a homage to their modest beginnings, Hey Iceland has diversified into experiential travel packages and tailor-made trips for curious travellers in search of unusual experiences outside of Iceland’s capital Reykjavík. They emphasise slow travel – encouraging visitors to take the time to stop and smell the flowers while