Zero practices , and energy .

Svanhildur Konradsdottir , the director of Harpa , explained that opening the centre and investing in MICE heavily benefitted Reykjavík ’ s economy , saying : “ Opening Harpa has increased the number of events that are being held here in terms of the mass market and culturally .

“ We have so many examples over the 11 years of operation that events have been developed or held here . Some of them are now annual , others are larger one-off events that would not have been held in Reykjavík if it weren ’ t for Harpa .” She adds that events have covered an array of industries including finance , health , astronomy , equality , human rights , and more .

A home from home A recent survey demonstrated that 70 % of visitors to Reykjavík visited the centre either as a tourist or for an event . The venue ’ s popularity has impacted the city ’ s accommodation , prompting the

development of more hotels to keep up with demand . The demand is indeed strong – the country has experienced several years where all its hotels have been fully booked for months on end .

The rapid growth of the city ’ s MICE scene has resulted in many hotels putting down roots only a stone ’ s throw away from Harpa itself . The Reykjavík EDITION , the city ’ s first five-star property , has styled itself around its stunning panoramic view of the centre – making itself known to its target clients .

Like Harpa , the hotel has incorporated the DNA of Iceland into its design . The main lobby is styled to the theme of fire and ice , two crucial elements in the Icelandic landscape . It features a cairn at its centre to remind travellers that they have found their ‘ home from home ’, a collection of photos depicting the daily life of locals , and prides itself in its use of local ingredients and liquors .

Although its current largest market is North America , EDITION ’ s hope is that Icelanders will be attracted to the venue

Above : Eldborg main hall at Harpa inset : Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre

“ When the eruption happened my colleagues and I thought it was the end of tourism ”

as well as international visitors and events ; especially when its on-site nightclub and spa are fully open to the public .

Nearby hotel real-estate includes the Grand Hotel Reykjavík and Hilton Reykjavík Nordica . Both locations have undergone renovation and are in the middle of expanding their portfolios . Once again , this is a key indicator of the intense demand for high-quality accommodation offerings in the city . The Grand Hotel team notes that it is striving to place hotels across the island and not just in its capital , to meet current demand of and encourage tourism in the other regions .

Weathering global crises While it is now obvious that places like Harpa and the hospitality industry have blossomed due to Iceland ’ s popularity , the rise of the country ’ s tourism industry has been rife with ups and downs . There are two crucial points of interest in the industry ’ s ascension : the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull ( ay-uh-fyat-luh-yoekuutl ), and the Covid-19 pandemic .

It is notable that Icelanders have a habit of referring to “ tourist eruptions ”; eruptions which are somewhat unremarkable to the locals but attract flocks of sightseers . An international fascination with the danger of volcanos came as a surprise to the Icelandic tourism industry , which really kicked into gear after Eyjafjallajökull hit the news in 2010 – the eruption of which left many travellers stranded across the world .

Ýmir Arthursson , owner of Magical Iceland DMC and Private Tours , said