Icelandic Tourism Research Centre

The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre (ITRC) is a cooperative project between the University of Iceland, the University of Akureyri, Hólar University, The Icelandic Tourist Board, and The Icelandic Travel Industry Association; it receives funding and goodwill from all of these, along with backing from government funds. 

The aim of this co-operation is the improvement and promotion of tourism research in Iceland, as well as strengthening the bonds of research and industry through domestic and international collaborative projects. 

ITRC is an active participant in the collaboration of researchers in polar tourism, the International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN).  

The ITRC projects include research on: 

• Tourists travel patterns and behavior 

• Social sustainability of tourism 

• Tourism in natural areas 

• Tourism and national parks 

• Responsible tourism in Arctic seascapes  

• Cruise tourism  

Current Arctic research projects 

The ITRC is a partner in a four-year research project on Arctic cruise tourism where the aim is to explore how cruise stakeholders in Arctic communities govern challenges resulting from cruise visits and how they collectively safeguard a sustainable future for the communities. The area of research is Norway, Iceland and Greenland. 

The ITRC together with Hólar University, is currently working on a research project on responsible island tourism on Grímsey island. The main objective of the research project is to study the impact and nature of tourism and create a base for a sustainable destination development plan in conversation with the community.  

The ITRC is a partner of the Nordregio project, The Impact of Airbnb Hosts on Arctic Local Economies, where the aim is to investigate how Airbnb hosts contribute to sustainable tourism development in rural and remote regions. The research area is in Denmark, Iceland and Norway. 

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