What most people would call “volcanic eruptions”, Icelandic tour operators call “tourist eruptions”.
That’s because when an eruption occurs in the right place, they stand to gain new opportunities to attract visitors — and a whole lot of sales.
When the Litli-Hrútur rift zone erupted in 2021, local tour operator Icelandia spied what would become an excellent business opportunity. They have been able to capitalize on a special event happening in their backyard to develop a set of innovative new products keeping customers excited and their sales very healthy.
For the first eruption in 2021, Iceland’s borders were still closed due to Covid-19. So the company began by offering a shuttle service for locals to come take a closer look. What they saw was incredibly beautiful – and an innovative product opportunity.
“The first time I went, there were four craters erupting,” says Icelandia Account Manager Magnúsdóttir. “We ate our picnic by the lava falls, then continued on to two smaller craters, before the big one. We just sat on a hill and watched it erupt and it was a feeling like no other. You can smell it and hear it and feel the warmth of it. It was absolutely unbelievable.”
By the time Iceland’s border reopened and with the craters continuing to erupt, Icelandia’s team was ready to welcome international travelers to see the action close-up, with a set of innovative new products all lined up and ready to go.
Stay on top of travelers’ search terms
The eruptions themselves come and go, but Icelandia is expecting to be able to keep capitalizing on these recurring eruptions for some time. “They say we have entered the volcanic era,” says Magnúsdóttir.
And each time a new eruption hits the news, travelers start Googling how to see it for themselves.
When Litli-Hrútur erupted again in July 2023, our search demand data showed a ~10x spike in volcano searches that month, compared with prior months in 2023.
Tip: Saving a Google search for trends relevant to your area or activity can help you to jump on the trend as soon as it pops up. A well-timed ad or social media post can give travelers the push they need to book a tour right away.
For small operators with limited marketing budgets, this is where a strong partnership with GetYourGuide can help maximize your sales. “GetYourGuide helped a lot with marketing on it,” shares Magnúsdóttir, “getting us on everywhere like social media and everywhere.”
Offer a range of products for changing conditions
Icelandia has been riding the lava flows ever since. During periods of dormancy, they offer tours to Reykjanes, a rugged peninsula with lava fields and steam vents. And then as soon as a new eruption occurs, they’re ready to switch on their tours to the erupting craters again.
Having worked closely with us here at GetYourGuide to set up their tours in our supplier portal, Iceandia is perfectly placed to make the most of their immense sales opportunity.
“Usually when you have a new tour, you have to advertise it a bit and give it time to build up,” explains Magnúsdóttir, “but with a volcano, 24 hours is enough.” Volcano fans will do anything they can to get to Iceland in time to see the eruption, hurrying to reschedule plans and book their tickets while Icelandia is hurriedly leaning into the opportunity while it lasts.
Magnúsdóttir admits that the operations team can find the quick switch a little hectic. But the sales team loves it — and so do the travelers.
“The response has been insane,” she says. “The reviews are great and when they see the volcano some are crying, others are in complete shock.”
Tip: You don’t need to be near an active volcano to make the most of changing conditions in your region. New flight paths, seasonal weather patterns or local events are all great starting points for developing new products.
Balance customer satisfaction with a commitment to safety
Unfortunately, a more recent eruption was a more dangerous kind, which caused the evacuation of a nearby town. Icelandia doesn’t run tours without the government’s approval.
“But once they give us the green light, it’s much better to go with us then to try and do the trip on your own,” she explains. “We have experienced guides, we monitor for gas fumes. And actually sometimes when people get lost, we’re the ones who have to go searching for them because they didn’t reach the volcano.”
Anticipate your guests’ needs
Icelandia has been able to optimize customer experience by anticipating traveler needs.
Magnúsdóttir explains that when their volcano tours began, “there were a lot of people coming in heels. They weren’t properly dressed for the tour. So we partnered up with an Icelandic gear rental. And they're actually located at our terminal, so people can rent hiking shoes, clothes, beanies and everything they need.”
Meeting needs that travelers don’t even know they’ll have by cutting out any potential pain points is critical to maintaining a great reputation, and racking up praise on social media.
Icelandia’s guides are taking travelers to the sights they thought they’d never see with their own eyes. We’re proud to have partnered with Icelandia so they can keep going with the lava flow and making travelers’ dreams come true.
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