GPS tracking of land-based visitors and cruise passengers on a remote Arctic Island destination: visitor behaviour and resident perspectives

Abstract

Tourism in the circumpolar Arctic has recently increased in popularity. Islands and the demand for island tourism have also become ever more popular as tourists continue to seek remote places. In recent years, cruise tourism has expanded significantly in the Arctic regions, raising questions about its sustainability in fragile environments, such as cold-water islands; this sustainability regards the social and environmental spheres. This paper uses a mixed-method approach to analyse the motivation, socio-demographic characteristics, expenditure and spatial behaviour of land-based visitors and cruise passengers on the small, remote, cold-water island of Grímsey in northern Iceland. It also explores local residents’ perspectives on tourist behaviour and tourism development. The study findings indicate: a marked difference between motivational factors to visit Grímsey and regarding spatial behavioural patterns among two visitor segments, namely Arctic Explorers and Cruise Voyagers. The study aims to provide insights into tourism dynamics on remote coldwater islands and to inform sustainable tourism management practices, which are shaped to the unique needs of visitors and local communities.