Die of Success. Tourists or Hikers on Laugavegur, the Icelandic Trail

Iceland is one of the world’s leading nature tourism destinations. In recent years, it has attracted an enormous number of tourists. Laugavegur is its most famous and popular hiking trail, presented as a wild, solitary and silent place to be in contact with untamed nature. The variety and richness of its landscapes, as well as its easy connectivity with the country’s capital, have caused the number of visitors to multiply significantly. This is causing saturation problems, generating dissatisfaction among sports tourists, who seek adventure, solitude, silence and nature. The trail suffers from significant erosion problems and an overdimensioned number of visitors. Through semi-structured interviews with key informants related to adventure sports, the problems of the trail are analyzed and solutions are offered. The authors believe that the trail should offer fewer services in order to maintain the untamed character of the place. This segment of visitors has a low tolerance for crowds and over-servicing. The authorities should propose another destination in the area to attract nature tourists, who are more willing to tolerate more crowded spaces and allow access by car or public transportation.