To encourage travel and physical activity, Iceland is offering a premium style revamp, turning sweatpants into hiking boots.
It’s no exaggeration to say that we all lived in, or at least purchased, sweatpants during the coronavirus pandemic. Many of us barely ventured to the mailbox, let alone Iceland, but now, as an incentive to visit the breathtaking country, The Sweatpants Boots has turned visitors’ unwanted sweatpants into hiking gear.
Travel restrictions have certainly limited the general number of visitors to Iceland in the past year, and many local businesses have struggled to stay open without the revenue that travelers bring. The Sweatpants Boot incentive came as a clever idea from Inspired by Iceland, a “cooperative marketing organization comprised of top Iceland brands that promote the tourism, services, products and culture of Iceland to the North American audience,” as listed on its website.
Sam Kolder
The famed shop, on Rainbow Street in Reykjavik, houses The Sweatpants Boot’s manufacturers who will create waterproof, durable and free hiking boots for every trek, from Laugavegur to Kirkjufell Mountain. In a statement, head of Visit Iceland Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdótti noted, “For those ready to travel again, we want to make sure you're prepared to experience life to its fullest and take on whatever adventure you've been craving.”
The creativity does not stop at footwear, though. Cell7, Icelandic rapper, and Ásgeir Orri Ásgeirsson, song producer, have collaborated to create a music video for The Sweatpants Boot! To listen to the song, click here.
Even if you cannot fly to Iceland, you can virtually try a pair of boots on Inspired by Iceland’s website. Travelers may book an appointment at the shop with a valid plane ticket. The promotion began on June 24. To learn more, click here.