Free stopovers and tour guides for those flying over Iceland

Icelandair passengers flying over the Atlantic can stopover in Iceland at no extra cost, and an airline employee will help them explore.

Icelandair has come up with a novel way of encouraging travelers to visit its homeland — passengers flying over the Atlantic ocean can stopover in Iceland for up to seven nights, at no extra cost. They can even be accompanied by a stopover buddy — an Icelandair employee — who will help them explore the country.

The stopovers are available to anyone flying between Europe and the USA or Canada with Icelandair. Customers simply select the option when booking their flights, and if they want to, they can request a stopover buddy to accompany them at no additional airfare. Users can choose from adventure buddies, culture buddies, food buddies, health buddies and nature buddies, who will show them what Iceland has to offer. Trips are catered to the wishes of the customer and can include anything from mountain climbing to fishing trips.

The scheme is a great way to encourage customer loyalty. Could other travel companies emulate it?