Whilst The Inbetweeners' Joe Thomas is front-and-centre of Visit Iceland's ongoing winter campaign, the destination's appeal to Brits may well be the star: CEO Helgi Eysteinsson promised that the brand's "quirky approach to campaigns" remains, but revealed that this is "the first time that we have solely focused on the UK market"
"Of course, [the UK market] has always been there alongside our campaigns, but we found it time to talk even more about the winter season and what it has to offer Brits in Iceland... it is what sets us apart as a destination in many ways."
The star of the A.U.R.O.R.A.S short film, a mockumentary spotlighting a Northern Lights-hunting organisation who bust myths about the natural phenomenon, is truly British comedy icon Joe Thomas, who played Simon in The Inbetweeners. Not dissuaded by his experience filming the short, Joe said, "I would hugely recommend going to Iceland this winter; for the best chance at seeing the Northern Lights, but also for everything else you can see and do. The people are generous, kind and don't take themselves too seriously!"
Speaking to Travel Bulletin, Visit Iceland CEO Helgi Eysteinsson iterated that the "quirky approach" to campaigns is "Visit Iceland's trademark," but also highlighted that agents play a role almost as important as the former Inbetweener.
"Engaging with our B2B audience is very, very important. We have produced B2B marketing material that we share with all of our stakeholders [around the campaign]... to show how they can actually help us get the message through.
"We are not the biggest 'Visit' organisation there is, but I think we have done a great job in communicating what we are doing and why."
Much of that strategy lies in highlighting the destination's "diverse experiences, and the contrast in the destination between the seasons... it is a country that a lot of people want to visit again and again, because it is ever-changing."
Helgi also highlighted the relative "shorter booking windows," which might shift ahead of a once-in-a-lifetime event next year: the upcoming solar eclipse.
Visit Iceland is treating the event as a great opportunity to not only capture visitors' imagination in August 2026 but to gain momentum ahead of anticipated record Northern Lights seasons over the next few years.
"Of course, [the solar eclipse] is just one event, but it is also the start of the Northern Lights season, and it gives us a great chance to talk about astrotourism... the next few years are going to be some of the best for the Northern Lights, so all these opportunities combine for us.
"If clients are going to visit Iceland for the eclipse, encourage them to make the most of it, stay a bit longer and experience the wider regions of Iceland and all the things we have to offer."
