The West Fjords, Iceland Iceland and Slovakia are among the fastest-growing tourist destinations in Europe for foreign tourists this year. According to the latest report out of the European Travel Commission , Iceland experienced an impressive 30 percent spike in foreign arrivals in the second quarter of 2013 compared to the same period last year.
Slovakia also saw a 20 percent increase in international visitors this spring.
Overall, growth was strongest in smaller European regions such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe.
Montenegro, Latvia, and Croatia, for example, each recorded a 9 percent growth, while visitor growth in Hungary and Poland also increased about 7 percent.
At the other end of the spectrum, the banking crisis in Cyprus earlier this year also dealt the country’s tourism industry a major blow, as visitor arrivals plummeted -12 percent.
Among the major European destinations, Germany and Spain recorded a “healthy” 4 percent increase.
Meanwhile, editors at Lonely Planet also named Iceland - or rather northern Iceland - one of their top European destination picks for 2013 earlier this summer, for the country’s rich natural landscape including dramatic geysers, lava fields and towering waterfalls.
Hungary and Croatia also made Lonely Planet\'s top 10 list.