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Donald Trump reiterated his interest in controlling Greenland while signing executive orders last week. This has led to increased interest in the territory, which had already been actively developing its tourism industry. But can the territory cope with its projected tourism boom?
“Heightened international attention can have both positive and negative effects,” Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, told Skift.
“On one hand, it raises Greenland’s profile globally,” she said. Visit Greenland has observed increased interest in its digital platforms as media coverage increased. On the other hand, there was a risk of misinformation or “inaccurate portrayals of Greenland.”
Visit Greenland does not comment on political matters but “remains focused” on presenting Greenland as an attractive destination with “unique cultural and natural experiences,” Grødem said.
The territory attracts tourists because of its landscapes, northern lights, and locations like the Narsarsuaq Botanical Garden.
There has already been a huge jump in tourists visiting the country in recent years, according to Visit Greenland.
2023 was “the best year for tourism Greenland ever,” it said in a recent report.
The report showed Greenland had its highest number of cruise passengers ever that year — reaching 76,477 — 64% more individual cruise passengers than the previous best year (2019). What’s more, 2023 also saw approximately 9% more land-based tourists in Greenland, year-over-year.
But while some of the territory’s infrastructure is improving, there remains a shortage of rooms and other facilities during peak seasons.
Greenland’s Airline and Airport Growth
A new airport was opened near the capital, Nuuk, in November 2024 to accommodate long-haul flights, which previously had to land at a former military base.
A second international airport is due to open in Ilulissat by 2026, followed by a new regional airport in Qaqartoq.
In 2024, two airlines, Air Greenland and Icelandair, operate scheduled flights. The busiest route was to Copenhagen.
This summer, United and SAS will also enter the market.
Starting in June, SAS will offer direct flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk. “This new route meets the rising demand for unique, adventurous travel experiences while reinforcing Copenhagen’s position as a key hub for Scandinavian connections worldwide,” Anko van der Werff, CEO of SAS, said in a statement.
United Airlines managing director for international sales, Marcel Fuchs, said the airline was “excited to announce our first-ever nonstop service between Greenland and the U.S.,” with the flight going between Nuuk Airport and its hub at New York/Newark, starting in June.
It will be the first and only U.S. airline to offer direct flights between Greenland and the U.S.
For the peak summer quarter this year, between July and September, scheduled international airline seats to Greenland will be up 55%, Cirium Diio.
Given increased air capacity, tour operators are responding. One example: Intrepid Travel is debuting a 10-day Greenland tour this summer.
Challenges to Watch
Greenland’s tourism leaders will face the challenges that come with the increased visitor numbers.
“The airports are a game changer for Greenland. They open up enormous opportunities for development and growth,” a spokesperson for Greenland Airports told Skift.
But if Greenland is to facilitate a larger boom in tourism, there is “a great need to invest in everything that supports tourism: hotels, restaurants, experiences, adventures,” Greenland Airport’s spokesperson said.
“Not only in Nuuk and Ilulissat but in all of Greenland, this is essential,” he said.
For several years, there have “already been situations during the peak summer season where demand has exceeded supply,” for both accommodation and dining options, Visit Greenland’s 2023 report said.
Now, with significantly increased flights from abroad, there will likely be a “significant shortage” of hotel rooms.
Visit Greenland’s analysis tests showed that there has already been a shortage of rooms in Ilulissat since 2026, especially in July and August.
Speaking to Euro Weekly News, Taatsi Fleischer, a spokesman for Arctic Circle Business, which supports business owners in Greenland’s western areas, said “all of the infrastructure needs to be in place” before a tourism boom, “and that’s not something that will happen in a day.”
Increased tourism may also pose challenges to Greenland’s fragile environment. It’s in the Arctic, and many parts of it are at a high elevation above sea level, where the effects of global warming are more pronounced.
