Iceland’s flagship airline, Icelandair, surveyed 7,791 travelers across nine markets (U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) to reveal their attitudes to business travel and openness to stopovers. Of note, the survey revealed that “stopovers” are experiencing a revival as 68 percent of business travelers have extended a work trip by one or more days for leisure in the past five years.
The survey found transatlantic travelers are now more open to leisure stopovers, perhaps driven by a renewed openness to explore and travel. Overall, a third (34 percent) of these flyers are open to stopovers when traveling for leisure, a percentage increase of 70 percent on 2019’s 20 percent. The survey also found that stopovers are becoming increasingly popular with budget-conscious travelers looking to maximize their travel experiences. By adding a stopover to their trip, travelers can visit two destinations for the cost of one airfare, making it an affordable way to see more of the world.
According to the study, across the nine markets analyzed, the U.S. is most likely to consider Iceland for an extended stopover (46 percent), followed by Sweden (37 percent) and the U.K. (36 percent). Germany saw the biggest rise in interest with an 87 percentage increase, followed by the U.K.’s 67 percent increase. Norway was the only country that saw a drop in interest for an Icelandic stopover with a -28.5 percent decrease over the four-year period.
Two in three transatlantic fliers (66 percent) were interested in seeing the Northern Lights. Over half (54 percent) were interested in the Blue Lagoon, proving that Iceland may be a sight specific trip for many, with a high interest in Icelandic sights. In regards to the sights, the study found travelers tend to choose by place over specific sights, with 42 percent of the U.S. choosing their destination based on location, compared to the 27 percent specifically booking for sights.
For more information, visit www.icelandair.com.
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