Landowners on which the volcano is currently erupting have stated that the property or parts of it are available at an appropriate price. Landowners say they have received offers to buy the land, but Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir says the new owners will not be able to restrict public access to the eruption site.
The eruption site is on the Hraun estate east of Grindavík, which belongs to 20 people. After the eruption began, landlords were contacted by those interested in purchasing the land, a representative of the Hraun landowners’ association, Sigurður Guðjón Gíslason, told Stöð 2. “It is now the hottest piece of land in Iceland” – added.
Sigurður stated that they had received several offers but declined to state the amounts offered for the land.
While those interested in buying may wish to profit from eruption tourism, Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, in an interview with RÚV, said there was no question that private entities could close public access to the eruption site. The government finances the construction of infrastructure in this area, and the condition for this financing is permanent access to the area.
Work on the tourist infrastructure at the eruption site has already begun, as it is now Iceland’s biggest tourist attraction – for both domestic and foreign tourists. According to data from Visit Iceland, up to 87,000 people have traveled to the volcano since the start of counting visitors, five days after the eruption began. Landowners took part in this work by participating in a working group that recently produced a report for the Minister of Tourism. The report describes plans for the area, which include building a kiosk to sell snacks and souvenirs, upgrading the parking lot and issuing a license to tour operators. In turn, the authorities will finance the construction of infrastructure through the Tourist Places Protection Fund.
Katrín said the government had not considered making an offer to buy the land, and instead focused on providing public access to the eruption site. “This is a prerequisite for everything we do. The government is financing the construction of some infrastructure and access so that everyone can visit this place. “ When asked if the new owners could restrict public access to the eruption site, Katrín firmly stated: “It is out of the question”.
Source: Yle