Icelandair Adds Football to Stopover Buddy Program
A truly interesting airline marketing initiative that we covered back in the day is Icelandair's Stopover Buddy, that gives you the chance to explore the stunning geography of Iceland in the company of a member of the airline's staff - for free.
The point here is to draw attention to the attractive of Iceland as a transatlantic stopover option, a concept that has also been applied, with different variations, by TAP, with its successful Portugal Stopover programme and other airlines such as KLM and Turkish Airlines.
As 2018 is (football - soccer) World Cup year and it turns out that Iceland's national football team qualified for it - the smallest country ever to qualify! - Icelandair has had the brilliant idea to add a football component to its Stopover Buddy programme.
The new football-related activities partake of the same approach as the rest of the Stopover Buddy options: basically, you get to spend some time with a member of Icelandair staff sharing his or her favourite activities, be it trekking, cooking or cross-country skiing (there are quite a few of them, many of them outdoor activities that take advantage of Iceland's amazing scenery).
The Team Iceland Stopover is going to be available all through June 2018 and consists in a number of curated experiences that take 90 minutes (wondering whether extra time is allowed!) each:
1) "Support like an Icelander"
It may not be the most powerful team out there, but watching an Icelandic football game can certainly qualify as a rather unique experience. This experience takes you to either a National Men’s or Women’s team match. You will learn how to cheer the Icelandic way, and believe me, it is quite a thing!
2) "Relax like a Pro"
Midfielder Birkir Bjarnason will take you to one of his favorite geothermal areas at Laugarvatn Fontana - I have to confess I never heard of either, but, also, I am not that much into football, aside from watching some important FC Barcelona games and neither been in Iceland - there you can enjoy the baths and sauna. Such an Icelandic thing to do!
3) "Train the Icelandic Way"
You will train with international female football star Dagný Brynjarsdóttir. The session will be outdoors and apparently amidst truly spectacular Icelandic landscapes.
4) "Footballing Family"
This one, I guess, is particularly indicated if you travel with children. The legendary Breidablik Academy organizes special 90-minute training sessions for young travelers.
By the way, this is not the only immersive experience that Icelandair has organized of late, check out also the inflight theatre play with members of the airline staff being the performers.