The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa near the fishing town of Grindavik, Iceland, on May 23, 2024. Iceland wants tourists to flock to its bubbling hot springs, picturesque ice caps and lunar-like lava landscapes — but not at the expense of its residents or natural environment. "We are trying still to mold the taxation system for the tourism sector for the future," Iceland's Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson told CNBC via videoconference. As I see it, we would want to go more toward accession fees to the magnets, as we call them, around the country," Benediktsson said. Iceland's government reinstated its so-called tourism tax at the start of the year, seeking to raise funds for sustainability programs and mitigate the environmental impact of mass tourism.

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Persons: Bjarni Benediktsson, Benediktsson Organizations: CNBC Locations: Grindavik, Iceland, Amsterdam, Venice