Helga Kristin Fridjonsdottir, Owner of Iceland Unwrapped, a personalized travel planner
Located in ReykjavÃk, Iceland, and Delft, The Netherlands. She is the Owner of Iceland Unwrapped by Helgastina and Places Unwrapped by Helgastina. Connecting people to Iceland and the Icelanders, and to The Netherlands.
Podcast
Overview
Do you love traveling? If yes, then you must be aware of all the fun it brings along with it. Traveling helps you discover new information about different places and people. But, on the other hand, traveling comes with a lot of hassles.
You need to plan a lot before you travel. Today, we have someone who is a pro at planning your trip to Iceland. We have the Owner of Iceland Unwrapped, a personalized travel planner, Helga Kristin Fridjonsdottir with us.
About Helga Kristin Fridjonsdottir, Owner of Iceland Unwrapped, a personalized travel planner
Located in ReykjavÃk, Iceland, and Delft, The Netherlands. She is the Owner of Iceland Unwrapped by Helgastina and Places Unwrapped by Helgastina. Connecting people to Iceland and the Icelanders, and to The Netherlands. Personalized travel planning for firms, groups, families, and individuals, presenting Iceland and The Netherlands she knows and loves.
About Iceland Unwrapped, a personalized travel planner
Presenting Iceland we love. We Icelanders are a bunch of crazy people. Connecting people to Iceland and the Icelanders, groups, individuals, firms, families, and institutions. We love helping people to visit Iceland with a personal touch. We are personal travel planners. Amazing experience, including meeting the Icelandic people, going on secret adventures, and visiting hidden gems.
What made you start a Travel Business?
I was living in Denmark. I graduated with a Master in Global Studies degree and started working in Digital Marketing. Then I moved to Holland with my husband and decided to do something of my own. Something that could move around with me.
So I used my digital marketing skills and created Iceland Unwrapped. I was away from home for 10 years and then for another 16 years, so I was really homesick.
How do you connect locals and travelers?
I am known for dining with Icelanders. I connect individuals, families to travelers just by having dinner together. Travelers go to the Icelanders’ house to have dinner, and they have a conversation.
Challenges faced while building Iceland Unwrapped
I think having confidence was challenging for me in the beginning because I had never been independent like that. In the beginning, I took everybody and let them have their experience. I took people who had no money for my services. Working as an entrepreneur alone is a big challenge.
How do you personalize plans?
Personalization comes through the conversation with the client. By knowing exactly what their expectations are. I put a lot of effort into getting people to start planning early. They fill out a survey, and we have two-three conversations. Connections with the locals and enjoying tunes of the afternoon which is visiting musicians at home is another way of personalizing plans for my clients.
Challenges faced by travelers in Iceland
There were challenges for the past 2 years due to COVID restrictions. The ever-changing restriction laws, vaccination, or tests at the border, and sometimes they had to face closure. The other challenge is distance and money. People do not realize that Iceland is an expensive place. You need to know what you are doing to make the best out of your money and time.
Best time to visit Iceland
If you want to see Northern Lights, then you need to plan around September to August. If you wish to see the Midnight Sun, so visit in the month of June. So I would say June, July, and August are the best months to visit Iceland.
Three key milestones of Helga’s life
- I worked as an exchange student when I was 17 in Brazil from Iceland. This totally changed my perspective about the world and the connections we make.
- Another milestone has been moving places.
- I left my job in Iceland in 2004. I moved to Denmark and started from scratch.
Core Values Helga believes in
- Connections
- Kindness
- Equality
What does success mean to you?
At first, I thought success was being rich, having all the money I wanted to have. But now I realized success is when you can connect, and create a life around your work. Success is having a work-life balance. When you have time for family, friends, travel, personal development, and enough money to survive, you are successful.
Who inspires Helga?
VigdÃs Finnbogadóttir: The World’s First Female Elected President. She went into the office in 1980, and she was the president for 16 years. I was born in 1972, so I grew up seeing her as the President for my whole childhood.
Profile
Located in ReykjavÃk, Iceland, and Delft, The Netherlands. She is the Owner of Iceland Unwrapped by Helgastina and Places Unwrapped by Helgastina. Connecting people to Iceland and the Icelanders, and to The Netherlands. Personalized travel planning for firms, groups, families, and individuals, presenting Iceland and The Netherlands she knows and loves.
