Tourism in

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland i ...

is a relatively young business area of the country. Since the foundation of the national tourist council, Greenland Tourism, in 1992, the Home Rule Government (renamed 'Self Rule Government' in 2009) has been working actively with promoting the destination and helping smaller tourist providers to establish their services. Foreign travel agencies have increasingly been opening up sale of Greenland trips and tours, and the cruise industry has had a relatively large increase in routes to (or passing) Greenland since about the turn of the century. The country has spectacular scenery and a few historic sites. The everyday life and local culture of Greenlanders is one of the main experiences for adventure travellers to Greenland. The main tourist activities on offer are sailing tours among icebergs, dog sledding tours, ice cap treks, wildlife spotting (including

whale watching Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. 2 ...

), iceberg watching, and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trips to the mainly Norse ruins.

Visit Greenland

Visit Greenland is the Greenland Self-Rule Government agency responsible for

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

. The head office is in

Nuuk Nuuk (; da, Nuuk, formerly ) is the capital and largest city of Greenland, a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark. Nuuk is the seat of government and the country's largest cultural and economic centre. The major cities from other coun ...

, Greenland. There is a subsidiary office in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. Visit Greenland was established in 1992. Its original goal was to develop a sustainable tourism industry and market Greenland as a

destination. The role was subsequently expanded to include the development of industry and small businesses in Greenland. Visit Greenland in Nuuk focuses on facilitation and the Copenhagen office focuses on marketing. Visit Greenland has a collaboration with the Danish travel agency Greenland Travel, which is currently the largest tour operator and travel agency specializing in travels to Greenland.

Statistics

Most overnight visitors (Non-Greenlandic) arriving to Greenland in 2016 were from the following countries of nationality:

Greenland Self-Rule Government

In 2002 Greenland (then "Home Rule Government" now "Self-Rule Government") established five focus regions for the development of the tourism industry in Greenland. "Destination North Greenland" centered on Disko Bay, "Destination Arctic Circle" centered on

Kangerlussuaq Kangerlussuaq (; ; da, Søndre Strømfjord), is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality located at the head of the fjord of the same name. It is Greenland's main air transport hub and the site of Greenland's largest commer ...

, "Destination Capital Region" centered on the capital

, "Destination South Greenland" centered on

Qaqortoq Qaqortoq, formerly Julianehåb, is a city in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland, located near Cape Thorvaldsen. With a population of 3,050 in 2020, it is the most populous town and the municipal capital in southern Greenland and the ...

, and "Destination East Greenland" in East Greenland with

Tasiilaq Tasiilaq, formerly Ammassalik and Angmagssalik, is a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland. With 1,985 inhabitants as of 2020, it is the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Green ...

as the main hub. The most popular tourist destination is

Ilulissat Icefjord Ilulissat Icefjord ( kl, Ilulissat Kangerlua) is a fjord in western Greenland. Located 250 km north of the Arctic Circle, the Ilulissat Icefjord runs west from the Greenland ice sheet to Disko Bay just south of Ilulissat town. Ilulissat Icefj ...

, which has been declared a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site.

Effects of the pandemic

Tourism increased significantly between 2015 and 2019, with the number of visitors increasing from 77,000 per year to 105,000. One source estimated that in 2019 the revenue from this aspect of the economy was about 450 million kroner (US$67 million). Like many aspects of the economy, this slowed dramatically in 2020, and into 2021, due to restrictions required as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

; one source describes tourism as being the "biggest economic victim of the coronavirus". (The overall economy did not suffer too severely as of mid 2020, thanks to the fisheries "and a hefty subsidy from Copenhagen".) Tourism is expected to recover in 2021, and Greenland's goal is to develop it "right" and to "build a more sustainable tourism for the long run".

Points of interest

Ilulissat

- Fjord south of the city declared

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

in 2004 *

Jakobshavn Glacier Jakobshavn Glacier ( da, Jakobshavn Isbræ), also known as Ilulissat Glacier ( kl, Sermeq Kujalleq), is a large outlet glacier in West Greenland. It is located near the Greenlandic town of Ilulissat (colonial name in da, Jakobshavn) and ends a ...

- The most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere *

Sermermiut Sermermiut was an Inuit settlement in the Disko Bay, Greenland. The location is now part of the Ilulissat Icefjord World Heritage Site. History The pre-colonial history of Sermermiut was pieced together by a series of archaeological excavations ...

- An abandoned

Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...

settlement in the

Ilimanaq Ilimanaq (), formerly Claushavn, is a settlement in Avannaata municipality in western Greenland. It had 53 inhabitants in 2020. The modern name of the village is Kalaallisut for "Place of Expectations". Geography Ilimanaq is located on the ...

- A small settlement, former whaling station south of the Icefjord *

Oqaatsut Oqaatsut (old spelling: ''Oqaitsut''), formerly Rodebay or Rodebaai, is a settlement in Avannaata municipality, in western Greenland. It had 29 inhabitants in 2020. The modern name of the settlement is Kalaallisut for "Cormorants". The village is ...

- A small settlement, current whaling station north of Ilulissat * Knud Rasmussen's Museum - Museum dedicated to the Greenlandic–Danish polar explorer Knud Rasmussen * Zions Church

Nuuk

Greenland National Museum The Greenland National Museum ( kl, Nunatta Katersugaasivia Allagaateqarfialu) is located in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. It was one of the first museums established in Greenland, inaugurated in the mid-1960s. The museum has many artefacts rela ...

Kangeq Kangeq or Kangek ( Kalaallisut: "Promontory") is a former settlement in the Sermersooq municipality in southwestern Greenland. It is located on the same island that formed the first Danish colony on Greenland between 1721 and 1728. History As ...

: abandoned fishing village * Nuuk Art Museum *

Nuuk Cathedral Nuuk Cathedral ( kl, Annaassisitta Oqaluffia) or Church of Our Saviour ( da, Vor Frelser Kirke) is a wooden Lutheran cathedral in the Old Nuuk neighborhood of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. It was established in 1849. The red building with its spi ...

South Greenland

Narsarsuaq Narsarsuaq (lit. ''Great Plan'';''Facts and History of Narsarsuaq'', Narsarsuad Tourist Information old spelling: ''Narssarssuaq'') is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. It had 123 inhabitants in 2020. There is a thri ...

Museum - displays on the

Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...

, sheep farming, and the American presence in Southern Greenland *Iceview Plateau Hike - a 5-6 hour hike from Narsaruaq that leads to a high plateau with a lake *

Qaqortoq Museum Qaqortoq Museum ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaanni Katersugaasiviit) is a museum in Qaqortoq, Greenland. It is located close to the main fountain square in one of the oldest buildings of the town, the former Royal Greenland Trading Department which dates f ...

- main museum of

External links

* *

References

{{Tourism in Europe