When the bustling streets of Reykjavik fell silent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tour guides of Your Friend In Reykjavik faced an uncertain future. What does a tour guide do when there are no tourists? Valur Heiðar Sævarsson, the CEO and Founder of Your Friend In Reykjavik, found an answer that not only kept the spirit of his city alive but also connected it to the world in an unprecedented way.
Reykjavik, Iceland, 16.07.2027 – In the heart of Reykjavik, where the winds carry ancient tales and the northern lights dance in ageless beauty, a profound silence fell as the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic. For tour guides at Your Friend In Reykjavik, accustomed to the joy and wonder of sharing Iceland’s rich heritage with travelers, this silence was more than a mere absence of tourists; it was a void filled with uncertainty and introspection.
Valur Heiðar Sævarsson, a proud tour guide and the driving force behind Your Friend In Reykjavik, recounts the quiet days when the streets lay deserted and the usual buzz of tourism came to an abrupt halt. Months of hesitation and doubt shadowed the idea of transitioning to virtual tours, an uncharted territory for Valur and his team.
The turning point came when Valur contracted COVID-19 and found himself isolated in a quarantine hotel, far from the comfort of home and the warmth of his family. Through the stark reality of his confinement, with only a window to the outside world and the poignant visits from his two young sons, Valur’s perspective shifted. In the isolation of his quarantine in October, longing to reunite with his family by Christmas, Valur’s resolve strengthened. “What do I have to lose?” he pondered, and thus, a new venture was born.
With determination and creativity, Valur launched a Facebook event titled “Christmas in Iceland – Online Walking Tour of Reykjavik,” inviting the global community to experience a festive journey through the city’s Christmas-lit streets. The event promised tales of the 13 Icelandic Yule lads, the fearsome Troll Grýla, and the ferocious Christmas Cat, creating a family-friendly virtual celebration of Icelandic Christmas traditions.
The response was nothing short of extraordinary. Over 100,000 people worldwide tuned in to the live tour, transforming a simple idea into a global phenomenon. This interactive livestream allowed viewers to not only witness the beauty of Reykjavik but also engage with Valur in real-time, asking questions and sharing in the joy of Icelandic folklore.
This pioneering virtual tour marked the beginning of a series of successful online events, fostering a vibrant global community passionate about Iceland. The virtual platform that emerged during the pandemic became a cornerstone for Your Friend In Reykjavik, leading to a resurgence in physical tours post-pandemic. The connections forged in those isolated times translated into real-life explorations, with many virtual participants eventually walking the very streets they had seen on screen.
As Valur prepares for the fifth annual Christmas livestream this December, he reflects on the journey from silence to success. “Guiding through a pandemic taught us that sometimes, the most incredible journeys begin with a single click,” he muses. The innovative approach not only sustained the business through challenging times but also enriched it, creating lasting bonds with a global audience.
