We are proud to share positive news from the office! 

For the past year, we have been working diligently on our sustainable policy, but sustainability, quality, ethics, and safety are the company’s guiding light. We are active in participating in the development of Iceland’s tourism industry and always seeking ways improving the impact we have on our surroundings.

In January, we signed a declaration of responsible tourism and received the certification of being one of Iceland strongest companies, a great honor that we got for the seven-consecutive-year. In mid-February, we will finish our second quality evaluation for Vakinn, the official quality and environmental system in Iceland

Hey Iceland signs declaration of responsible tourism!

Photo: Festa - Icelandic Center for Corporate Social Responsibility

Hey Iceland signed a declaration of responsible tourism in January, the purpose of the project is to maintain Iceland’s status as an optimal future destination for tourist by supporting sustainability for future generations of the nation.

Responsible tourism is an incentive project where companies connected with tourism have agreed on several clear and simple measures of responsible tourism. Leaders from over 250 companies in Iceland endorse the project, and its patron is the President of Iceland, Mr. Guðni Th. Jóhannesson.

Upon signing the declarations Sævar Skaptason, CEO, agreed on behalf of Hey Iceland to support sustainable practices by:

• Demonstrate exemplary behavior and respect for nature.
• Ensure the safety of our guests and treat them courteously.
• Respect the rights of employees.
• Have a positive impact on the local community.

The declaration will be followed by training programs for companies on CSR and sustainability that Hey Iceland will participate in.

Festa – the Center for Corporate Social Responsibility and the Iceland Tourism Cluster support the project in cooperation with the Tourist Board, SAF, Promote Iceland, Regional Marketing Offices of Iceland, Visit Reykjavík and Safetravel Iceland.

Vakinn – The official quality and environmental system for Icelandic tourism

Sustainability and quality have always been at the forefront of Hey Iceland practices, and we are continuously working toward improving our performances within these fields.

Hey Iceland has from the foundation of the travel agency in 1991 had a quality system that our network of accommodations is mandatory to implement to be a member of our network as well as sales and marketing efforts. Until recently this was the only quality system available, but within the next 2 years, all our members will join Vakinn, the official quality and environmental system for Icelandic tourism, which will be a positive step to improve quality and professionalism further.

Vakinn quality and environmental system for Icelandic tourism is based on Qualmark - New Zealand tourism's official mark of quality but adapted to Icelandic conditions. Vakinn is run by the Icelandic Tourist Board which leads the project in close cooperation with the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, Innovation Center Iceland, and experts.

We are happy to announce that we are finishing our second evaluation by Vakinn (done yearly) and expect certifications for quality and environment in mid-February. Moreover, step by step our network of 170 accommodations are in the process of implementing Vakinn. It is our strategy that all our accommodations have moved from our system to Vakinn by 2019.

Hey Iceland is one of Iceland’s Strongest Companies!

We are happy to announce that Hey Iceland has been awarded “The Strongest in Iceland” 2016 certification for the seven-consecutive-year.

Of the 35,000 companies registered in the Icelandic Company Directory, only 624 fulfill the strict requirements set by CreditInfo qualify as one of Iceland’s strongest. Hey Iceland is amongst 1,7% of Icelandic companies that meet the requirement of Creditinfo and is an important contributor to the future growth of the Icelandic economy.

We are proud to be considered one of Iceland strongest companies and would like to take the opportunity to thank our employees and customers for your trust and confidence in us.

Creditinfo’s conditions for the company strength analysis:

• Confirmed financial statements for three straight years with the Directorate of Internal Revenue
• Less than 0,5% probability of defaulting debts according to Creditinfo’s CIP Risk Assessment
• Positive operating profit (EBIT) for three straight years
• Positive operating net profit for three straight years
• Total assets exceed ISK 80 million for three straight years
• Equity ratio has been 20% or higher for three straight years
• CEO is listed in the National Registry of Enterprises
• The company is active according to Creditinfo’s definition

 Further information on Iceland‘s strongest certification can be found on Creditinfo web.

About Hey Iceland

Hey Iceland was founded by farmers in 1980 and is still majority owned by farms through the Icelandic Farm Holidays Association. However, our history goes back to 1965, when five farms were chosen to rent out rooms to curious explorers who wanted to experience farm holidays in Iceland. Today we have a network of over 170 carefully selected accommodations; ranging from small, cozy and rustic to larger places perfect for groups - all are located in the peaceful and beautiful Icelandic countryside as well as wide range of truly unforgettable tours.