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PLEDGE TO NATURE: Iceland invites visitors to make a promise to travel responsibly

We all like to assume we'll treat a country with respect when visiting, but how many of us make ourselves accountable by making an official pledge to act responsibly?

We all like to assume we’ll treat a country with respect when visiting, but how many of us make ourselves accountable by making an official pledge to act responsibly?

Anyone?

Iceland is giving its visitors the chance to say they’ll do the right thing and follow through via a new online pledge to nature.

The ‘Iceland Pledge’ invites upcoming visitors to log onto icelandpledge.is, read the promise (to themselves) and then enter their email address.

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Image: Jonatan Pie/Unsplash

No left hands on bibles, no verbal oaths and no lawyers. Just you, a website and an important declaration.

Once the sign up is complete, travellers will have committed to leaving the country as they found it, take photos “to die for, without dying for them”, park where permitted, stay within a campsite when sleeping under the stars and more.

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Image: André Filipe/Unsplash

Promote Iceland’s Manager of Trade Delegations, Export Service – Distant Markets, told KARRYON that the ‘Iceland Pledge’ is one initiave the country has launched to promote sustainable tourism.

Another of Iceland’s initiatives is the official quality system called ‘Vakkinn’, whereby tour operators are rated based on how well they’re doing in connection with environmental matters.

“Both of these programs encourage both visitors and operators to treat nature with the respect she deserves.”

Þorleifur Þór Jónsson, Promote Iceland’s Manager of Trade Delegations, Export Service – Distant Markets

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Þorleifur Þór Jónsson (second from left) says sustainable tourism is important to Iceland.

Þorleifur Þór Jónsson said the tourist board is also communicating with Travel Agents, who book the majority of Australian holidays to Iceland, on the country’s natural diversity and sustainability.

“We are telling Travel Agents about… renewable energy and our pledge to treat our nature with respect,” he said.

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Image: Balazs Busznyak/Unsplash

Þorleifur Þór Jónsson is currently in Australia as part of Promote Iceland’s first Australian Trade Roadshow covering Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

He described the Australian market as having significantly increased in the last few years, with Aussie visitors filling 50,000 hotel beds in 2017, up from 30,000 in 2015.

“[I regret] that we did not come here earlier – we should have been visiting you a long time ago!”

Þorleifur Þór Jónsson, Promote Iceland’s Manager of Trade Delegations, Export Service – Distant Markets

 

Have you travelled to the popular European country?