Providing accurate and timely warnings to residents in Iceland is a difficult task even when communicators have a familiarity with the at-risk population. An even more challenging task is communicating that same information with a transient population i.e., the increasing number of tourists who visit Iceland and engage in activities on and around Iceland’s volcanoes. Increased tourism results in greater numbers of tourists exposed to potentially harmful and life-threatening situations. To enhance awareness of these potential situations, authorities rely on risk communication initiatives. This paper examines perceptions and beliefs with respect to risk communication initiatives and, behaviour in volcanic environments. Data informing this research was captured through focus group discussions, interviews and questionnaire surveys in a longitudinal study conducted from 2009 to 2017 and involved a range of stakeholders: tourists, tour guides and operators, local police, government officials, rescue team members, local residents and, disaster risk reduction academics, practitioners and professionals. The aims of interrogating these datasets are to: 1) identify whether risk communication initiatives are enhancing or have the potential to enhance tourists’ safety and 2) provide evidence-based recommendations to inform the continual improvement of risk communication strategies within the tourism sector. This work is critical given the economic significance of tourism in Iceland and the frequency of volcanic eruptions and other natural hazard events. The results suggest that while these initiatives are reaching some people, they are not accessible to the majority and are therefore ineffective, in their current form, at enhancing tourists’ safety. The results also show that tourists are generally not risk averse, highlighting the considerable challenges communicators face. In light of these challenges, we must continually strive to ensure that tourists are well equipped to make informed decisions to prevent injury and fatality. It is imperative that the sector as a whole is actively involved in risk reduction strategies. This includes long-term and ongoing commitment to regularly distributing consistent hazard, risk and response information through all available channels so that when a warning is issued it does not come as a surprise; and, ensuring risk communication information and tools meet the needs of the intended audience. The importance of this research extends beyond the volcanic environment and Iceland, given the prevalence of death and injury associated with nature-based tourism worldwide. To enhance tourists’ safety, governments and the tourism sector as a whole, must invest greater resources and commitment to ensure tourists have access to accurate and up-to-date information so they can make informed decisions about their travel choices.

即使传播者熟悉高危人群，向冰岛居民提供准确及时的警告也是一项艰巨的任务。一项更具挑战性的任务是将这些信息传递给短暂的人群，即越来越多的游客访问冰岛并从事冰岛火山及其周围地区的活动。旅游业的增加导致更多的游客面临潜在的危害生命的危险。为了增强对这些潜在情况的认识，主管部门依靠风险通报计划。本文考察了有关风险沟通计划和火山环境行为的看法和信念。通过焦点小组讨论收集了有助于这项研究的数据，在2009年至2017年进行的一项纵向研究中，对访谈和问卷调查进行了调查，涉及范围广泛的利益相关者：游客，导游和操作员，当地警察，政府官员，救援队成员，当地居民以及减轻灾害风险的学者，从业人员和专业人员。询问这些数据集的目的是：1）识别风险沟通计划是否正在增强或有可能提高游客的安全性； 2）提供基于证据的建议，以告知旅游部门风险沟通策略的不断改进。鉴于冰岛旅游业的经济意义以及火山喷发和其他自然灾害事件的发生频率，这项工作至关重要。结果表明，尽管这些倡议正在惠及某些人，大多数人无法使用它们，因此，以目前的形式，它们不能有效地提高游客的安全性。结果还表明，游客通常不会厌恶风险，突显了传播者面临的巨大挑战。面对这些挑战，我们必须继续努力确保游客有足够的能力做出明智的决定，以防止伤害和死亡。当务之急是整个行业积极参与降低风险的战略。这包括长期和持续的承诺，即通过所有可用渠道定期分发一致的危害，风险和响应信息，从而在发出警告时不会感到意外；确保风险交流信息和工具满足目标受众的需求。鉴于全世界范围内与自然旅游相关的死亡和伤害盛行，这项研究的重要性已超出火山环境和冰岛。为了提高游客的安全性，政府和整个旅游部门必须投入更多的资源和承诺，以确保游客能够获得准确和最新的信息，以便他们可以就自己的旅行选择做出明智的决定。