Terra Nova

What Terra Nova does

Terra Nova (DBA: Terra Nova Iceland) is a privately held Icelandic inbound tour operator founded in 1978/1979 and headquartered at Suðurlandsbraut 34, 108 Reykjavík. The company provides destination management services to international tour operators and travel agencies, packaging group tours (including hotel tours, hiking/trekking, geological tours, bird watching, photography, super jeep safari, and horse riding), self-drive fly-and-drive vacations, and Reykjavík city breaks. Products are sold exclusively B2B through a network of 140+ partner agencies spanning Europe and North America, with Air Canada Vacations operating as the flagship exclusive partner and 4 Winds, Easyweek, Travel.land Xplora S.L., and Buro Scanbrit as core Italian, Spanish, and Dutch channel partners. Annual passenger throughput is stated at 20,000+.

The company's underlying technology is minimal: there is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capabilities disclosed, and no mobile applications; distribution runs through the company website, direct sales contacts, and bespoke partner materials. Revenue is generated via per-person and per-package B2B pricing, with the ability to create exclusive custom products for individual partners (e.g., Air Canada Vacations city breaks). Terra Nova operates as part of Travel Connect – House of Travel Brands, a diversified parent conglomerate, and is the first company in Iceland to achieve Travelife Certified sustainability status, alongside Ferdamalastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board) certification.

Name

Terra Nova

Legal name

Terra Nova

Website

https://terranova.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Management Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic/In-Country Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private/Customized Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAC)

Keywords

• Destination management
• Iceland tour packages
• Group travel tours
• Self-drive vacations
• Ground services operator

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel package sales to tour operators: Terra Nova creates and delivers packaged travel products—including group tours, fly-and-drive packages, and city breaks—which are sold to partner tour operators who then commercialize them to end consumers. Revenue is generated through the sale of these pre-packaged travel products, with pricing based on per-person rates for tours and packages. The company also creates exclusive custom products for specific partners (e.g., Air Canada Vacations city break packages), indicating a bespoke B2B service model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Terra Nova is an Iceland-based inbound tour operator that designs and delivers packaged travel products—Group Tours (hotel, hiking, trekking, geological, bird watching, photography, super jeep safari, horse riding), Fly & Drive self-drive vacations, and Reykjavik City Breaks—available in English and French. These packages are sold wholesale to partner tour operators and travel agencies in Europe and North America, who resell them to their own end-consumer customers. The company also creates bespoke exclusive products (e.g., city break packages built specifically for Air Canada Vacations).

Product overview

Terra Nova is a traditional travel agency offering a portfolio of Iceland tour packages as a single unified service rather than a modular platform. The core offerings consist of three main product lines: Group Tours (Hotel Tours, Hiking and Trekking, and Special Interest Tours including geological, bird watching, photography, super jeep safari, and horse riding experiences), Fly & Drive self-drive vacation packages with pre-arranged accommodations, and Reykjavik City Breaks for discovering the capital region. These products are distributed through a network of 140+ partner agencies and serve 20k+ passengers annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Tours Organized group travel packages operated by Terra Nova, including Hotel Tours, Hiking and Trekking Tours, and Special Interest Tours covering geological tours, bird watching, photography tours, super jeep safaris, and horse riding. Sold wholesale to partner tour operators and travel agencies in Europe and North America.
• Fly & Drive Self-drive Iceland vacation packages offering flexible intimate travel with pre-arranged accommodation at attractive per-person prices. Sold to partner tour operators and travel agencies who resell them to their end consumers.
• City Breaks Reykjavik City Break packages designed to help travelers discover Iceland's capital and surrounding main attractions. Sold wholesale to partner agencies; bespoke city break packages have been created exclusively for specific partners (e.g., Air Canada Vacations).

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Travel ConnectcoreOthersTerra Nova is part of Travel Connect – a House of Travel Brands. Travel Connect is the parent company/holding group encompassing multiple travel brands including Terra Nova and Iceland Traveller (ITo), with shared group operations, staff, and facilities.
• Air Canada VacationsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAir Canada Vacations (the tour operator arm of Air Canada) partners exclusively with Terra Nova for Iceland travel products. Terra Nova provides guided tours in English and French, self-drive packages, and has created exclusive city break packages specifically for ACV. This partnership is described as critical to ACV's strategy to develop Scandinavia as a destination of choice for Canadians.
• Travel.land Xplora S.L.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish tour operator partner sourcing Iceland tours and experiences from Terra Nova. The relationship extends beyond transactional dealings to include dedicated support, humanity in professional interactions, and 24-hour assistance for unexpected situations.
• EasyweekminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian tour operator actively testing and selling Terra Nova Iceland's tours and programs. Notes prompt responses, professionalism, and timely updates as key benefits of the partnership.
• 4 WindsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian tour operator partner that relies on Terra Nova for guaranteed high-level guides, buses, hotels, and excursions. Described as Terra Nova's 'most important partner in Iceland' from their perspective, with years of professional service and attractive rates.
• Buro ScanbritminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch tour operator partner that values Terra Nova's proactive approach to new programs and routes, accurate quick replies, clear friendly communication, and consistently good tour quality that leaves clients satisfied.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Iceland Travel: Iceland's longest-established inbound DMC, also serving European and North American tour operators with packaged group tours, self-drive itineraries, and FIT offerings. Most directly comparable to Terra Nova in business model, Iceland focus, and B2B2C distribution through partner agencies.
• Arctic Adventures: Iceland-based tour operator offering group tours, adventure activities, and self-drive packages with a distribution mix that includes travel agency partners. Comparable inbound tour product set targeting international visitors.
• Troll Expeditions: Icelandic adventure and expedition tour operator specializing in multi-day group tours, hiking, and activity-based packages for international travelers. Comparable in-country tour operator with similar product breadth and inbound visitor target market.
• Discover Iceland: Reykjavík-based tour operator offering group tours, day excursions, and packaged Iceland itineraries to international visitors and travel trade partners. Similar destination focus and tour product portfolio.
• Nordic Visitor: Nordic-region DMC with a strong Iceland focus, providing self-drive packages, escorted tours, and customizable itineraries to international visitors via B2B and B2C channels. Comparable multi-day package tour operator model serving inbound travel to Iceland.
• Guide to Iceland: One of the largest Iceland-focused DMCs, offering a similar breadth of group tours, self-drive packages, and activity-based itineraries to international travelers and tour operator partners. Comparable in destination focus and inbound tour product mix.
• Reykjavík Sightseeing: Reykjavík-based tour operator providing scheduled sightseeing tours, day excursions, and packaged Iceland itineraries through agency and direct channels. Comparable inbound tour activity in the same destination market.

Emerging players

• Hidden Iceland: Boutique Iceland DMC offering small-group and privately guided tours with a curated, premium positioning. Comparable product model in Iceland inbound tours but at a smaller scale and more specialized niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terra-nova-iceland

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Terra Nova