Iceland is not dead. It’s just been hibernating. Due to its financial woes this past year, travel to Iceland has taken on a few curve balls. It has suffered a devaluation of currency - which has attracted the thrifty traveler, but it’s also weathered its fair share of political unrest - which has deterred many others. Yet slowly, Iceland is getting back on its feet and the rumble of Reykjavik as a thriving cultural center can be heard once more.

In case you forgot just how rocking Reykjavik is, the Nordic Company is here to jog your memory. Think: music and nightlife meets geysers and thermal springs all within the same small radius. As the northern most capital on Earth, Reykjavik never misses the mark in what it has to offer. Even back in 874, Ingolfur Aranson, the first to settle in what would later be known as Reykjavik, could see the potential of the area. He called the place “Smoky Bay” due to the ghostly vapors that rose up from the ground - a product of the geysers - but rather than fear, these smoke signals created an interesting ambiance.

Iceland remained a Danish sovereignty until their independence in 1944 which was largely brought about by their skyrocketing prosperity of during the World War II period. American and Brit troops were stationed in Reykjavik and significantly bolstered the community.

Iceland’s economy was largely supported by wool manufacturing, shipbuilding, and fishing until they took on the financial services sector with much gusto - the unfortunate cause of their most recent failure. However, Icelanders are not shy about returning to their roots and their roots run deep.

You take a walk through their famed Old City sector in Reykjavik where wooden houses with corrugated iron roofs line the streets. You can stop in and enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal at the oldest building in Reykjavik, the Fogetinn, built in 1751. Or you can catch a bus out to the bubbling Laugardalur hot springs, just 3 kilometers outside of the city. There are camp sites, hostels, open-air baths, botanical gardens, a zoo, and a sculpture garden for your amusement. This city is not going anywhere - it has too much to offer. So I guess the real question isn’t “Remember Reykjavik?” but rather, “How could we forget?”

Tomorrow marks the beginning of May and there is a lot to be excited about in Scandinavia. In the office, May means the summer travel blitz is officially underway; we are taking calls, designing itineraries, and sending off our clients on their much anticipated tours. In Scandinavia, May always offers a wealth of art and outdoor activities that allow you maximize your vacation stay. For example, we recommend starting in Stavanger, Norway for Stavanger’s International Jazz Festival that spans May 6 – 10. The Nordic Company has sent many clients to this festival over the years and they can’t say enough about a jazz scene juxtaposed by fjord scenery! Next, make your way to Copenhagen for their annual Architecture and Design Days, May 16-18.

For fascinating art and arguably equally fascinating political climate, catch an Icelandair flight to Reykjavik for the Reykjavik Arts Festival, May 15 – May 31. Iceland is increasingly breaking into the international scene in terms of art and music and this is the perfect chance to see where they get their muse from. Finish back in Denmark to make your trip come full circle by taking a spin at the Aalborg Carnival in late May. The Aalborg Carnival is the largest carnival in Northern Europe and probably the only time you’ll find a whimsical event that rivals the fame of Tivoli!

A talking point that has already come up at London’s G20 summit is the importance of tourism and travel in combating the economic decline. That’s right, we knew we were in the right business. Consider these words from UNWTO secretary-general adinterim Taleb Rifai: “Tourism and travel mean jobs, infrastructure, trade, and development. These are the issues that world leaders are emphasizing in coordinated recovery actions. What we need is recognition of the value of travel in this mix and most importantly, it’s capacity to generate jobs.”

Furthermore, leisure travel is one of the first signs of the return of consumer confidence. A wide variety of businesses at home and abroad benefit from the travel industry and the consumer can take their mind off the world for awhile. In Europe, many citizens are opting to take extended vacations or reduced hours instead of a total lay-off, which gives them relative job security, but also frees up some of their time - which many have been spending on travel.

Rifai also stressed that the travel and tour industry has the rare opportunity to shift its focus to a much greener pastures and he means that sustainably.  Investment in green infrastructure - modern airports, high speed roads, and ports would all be excellent job creators and extremely beneficial to the economy in the long run.

The Nordic Company has been providing green travel for years, specifically in Iceland. As one of the hardest hit in the financial downturn, Iceland is certainly in need of a pick-me-up these days and it may be the a most curious, yet most adventurous time to travel there. The Nordic Company offers independent and group tours that feature remote Iceland’s rugged landscape and a little time in Reykjavik will certainly give you an earful of their new, rugged politics. The Nordic Company is even offering stimulus travel packages - you can’t go wrong!