ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how Iceland’s destination image is on the one hand created by various actors, including official marketing by the Icelandic Tourist Board, tour operators and other companies, and on the other hand by the media and tourists. Iceland is no exception, and the tourist image of Iceland is consequently expressed in terms of “far North”, “inaccessible”, “wild”, “rugged” or “isolated”. Iceland may even be perceived as particularly extreme, which might be explained by the omni-presence of extremes in all spheres, including the environment, society, culture, economy and technology. Iceland’s society and culture cannot be understood without considering the island’s history. An analysis of the Icelandic Tourist Board’s marketing strategy reveals a focus on four areas. There are: the geographical distribution of tourists all over the island; the development of new tourism products; the development of a city break market to overcome the short season; and the focus on new markets in Asia to attract new tourist groups.
