As I mentioned in part one of the "6 Reasons Why Iceland is so Popular" episode, this amazing country has many reasons for why people are flocking to it. In this episode, I share my final three out of six reasons. Make sure you check out the first three reasons I shared in the last episode of the All Things Iceland podcast.

4. Iceland is a Convenient Place To Catch a Connecting Flight

If you are traveling from North America to mainland Europe and vice versa, Iceland is in the middle of those places, which makes it a very convenient place for airline companies to stop and refuel, as well as offer connecting flights to many destinations. Iceland, as a hub for connecting to other flights, has made travel to many places more accessible to people. Even though connecting via Iceland's Keflavík airport has been used by travelers for over 50 years, it is only in the last 20 years that Iceland has experienced many travelers leaving the airport to explore the country. Up until the 1980s, the number of tourists to Iceland did not exceed 80,000 people in a single year. In fact, the travels of Icelandic people usually exceeded the number of tourists back then.

Keflavík Airport by WhatsOn

It wasn’t until the 2000s that the number of tourists began to increase. In the early 2000s, Iceland received around 300,000 visitors, which was more than the number of people living on the island! By 2016, that number had sharply risen to almost 1.8 million foreign visitors.

# of Tourist to Iceland vs Icelandic Population

Iceland is still a great place for planes to stop and refuel, and it is used by many airlines that want to have connecting flights for their customers. However, it is now a must-see destination, and foreigners are more than happy to leave the airport and discover the country's unique features.

5. Movies and shows filmed in Iceland

The amount of movies and shows filmed in Iceland is astonishing.  I might be stretching it here, but I believe that most people that live in the Western world, and who actively go to the movie theater and/or watch television, have watched at least one of the films listed below:

* Batman Begins

* Die Another Day

* Fast & Furious 8

* Flags of Our Fathers

* Interstellar

* Judge Dredd

* Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

* Letters from Iwo Jima

* Noah

* Oblivion

* Prometheus

* Star Trek into Darkness

* The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

* Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This is not an exhaustive list of all of the films that have been shot in Iceland but it gives you a taste of major motion pictures that have captured footage in Iceland's diverse and remarkable nature.

The stunning scenery showcased in these films has inspired people to visit. Plus, who wouldn't want to go to a destination that feels like you have been