Greenland: How Rising Temperatures Boost Tourism

Greenland, the largest island on Earth, lies between the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean. Temperatures here have risen significantly in recent years, with extreme cold becoming more rare. While the higher temperatures have serious consequences for Greenland's environment, about 80% of which is covered by ice, there are now more opportunities for the tourism industry. Waterways have less ice, while more airlines now fly to the country. How can Greenland manage the rise in visitors while preserving its natural resources? Let's take a closer look. Mi Winding is a climate researcher in the capital Nuuk. She's worried about the effects of climate change. The sea ice is getting thinner, but also the multilayer sea ice is disappearing much faster. We can also see extreme events, so we can see sea ice break up in months, and we can see that the oceans are getting warmer and the glaciers are melting. So climate change is impacting many different levels. One of the most striking examples is the Elulissat ice fjord, which is losing mass due to rising temperatures. It's Greenland's most iconic natural wonder and a must-see for anyone visiting the country. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, the fjord is now at the forefront of environmental change. We join a local captain who has spent his life navigating these waters on boat tours through the icebergs. He has seen firsthand the dramatic and rapid effects of climate change. I've been sailing since I was a small kid with my father. When I was a little kid, those huge icebergs, they were bigger. He's seen a sharp rise in tourists, especially winter cruise ships. Now there is more tourism than five years ago. Elulissat Ice Fjord Center is located at the edge of the fjord. There, visitors can learn about the culture of the region and the impacts of climate change. We sat down with director Karl Sandgreen to learn more. The Greenland nature is very delicate to the climate change. If you want to see the climate change, you have to go to Greenland because you can feel the change. Even on the ground, we have some huge cracks in the coast because the permafrost is melting very fast and the houses are sinking as well. We really have to think about if we want to have a lot of too many tourists that are coming from the rest of the world. We don't want to be overcrowded because emission of carbon is too high from the planes and the ships as well. We want to have the tourists but we need a balance for it. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, is home to fewer than 20,000 people. But already the tourism boom has brought about many changes. This summer, tour operators expect more than 70 cruise ships to dock, some carrying up to 5,000 passengers who will flood the city's streets. New tour companies have started up in recent years to meet the need, including Meaningful Travels. Tour guide Robert Cullen believes rising temperatures are a major fact behind Greenland's increase in tourism. Maybe in the past year or two that I've been working in the tourism sector, there has been an increase in the demand for people to come and see Greenland in all cities, not just Nuuk. A lot more curiosity around Greenland and they want to find out exactly what Greenland's like. I suppose it brings both challenges and opportunities. I suppose one of the challenges might be for the locals. With the increased volume of people, it'll be a different scene for them and a culture shock in a sense because they're used to things a certain way and challenges is getting used to it I suppose because it seems like this is not just something that's happening now, it's here to stay. So I think people are shocked here at how fast things are happening and one of the opportunities that I suppose being increased work output for people, for locals, local businesses and tour operators and tour providers. They can all collaborate and work together and it's positive overall. It'll take some time in getting used to the changes. The country's national tourism board Visit Greenland is tasked with making Greenland into a sustainable travel destination. Annette Grönkja, chair of the board of Visit Greenland and manager of Hotel Sissimut, supports a recent law aimed at sustainably managing tourism growth. It requires that at least two-thirds of a tourism company's ownership must be made up of Greenland residents who are tax liable. For Grönkja, the law is a vital step toward protecting Greenland's environment, businesses and communities. Though this new law is to make sure that tourism grows in Greenland and not grows outside Greenland and then the benefits from tourism are taken out of Greenland but it benefits Greenland and the country. Also gives a sense of feeling from people visiting Greenland that they know okay I'm working with a tourism provider I know that this is a Greenlandic business that contributes to the community that when I buy tours or my experiences through this company I know that it benefits the schools that I can see, the hospitals that I see, the elder people's home, even the student housing and all of these things are a part of contributing to the community and the society that Greenland is. Grönkja also cites climate change as key to the tourism sector's evolution. Years ago when climate change was like a very new topic it was more just the awareness of Greenland oh this is the beating heart of climate change we have to go and see it now it's more how do we work with climate change instead. I see it mostly as challenges because what we see climate changes is that it's not just warmer weather it's unstable weather. It's more challenging to grow a business in an unpredictable environment and that's also with the weather. Now we work with the climate change how do we work with it not only as an awareness thing that we can see happening but how do we prepare ourselves for this and how do we prevent the culture to disappear how do we prevent the way of life and how do we adapt in a way. The increase in tourism hasn't taken the tourism industry entirely by surprise. I would say that we have been preparing for this for a long time. The new international airport in Nuuk opened at the end of 2024 was a game changer. Now more airlines service the airport and flights from abroad no longer have to make a stop inland. Jakob Nytter Sorensen CEO of Air Greenland describes this as a historic turning point for the country's tourism industry. Tourism in Greenland is now a new point we are seeing mass interest in Greenland and the expansion of Nuuk airport and the upcoming expansion of Ilulissat airport will make Greenland more accessible to tourists. It will be easier to come to Nuuk and Ilulissat and the other destinations and it will be faster and that in itself will increase the demand. While he acknowledges the risks posed by climate change Sorensen also sees opportunities. Climate change brings some opportunities but also some fears. The fear is obviously mass tourism which will have both a social and an environmental impact on our fragile society and ecosystem but the opportunity is in a country like Greenland that we can actually deliver a high quality product for the premium customer which means that we can maybe have lower volumes and less of an impact on the environment and that that is the goal both the official policies and and also what we're trying to do as an airline. Experts say the decisions made now by the tourism industry could define the country's future. What happens here have a consequence for the whole global ecosystems so if all of Greenland ice sheet melted tomorrow it will not but if it did the water levels around the world will rise around 7.2 meters. The world don't know about national boundaries that's something humans have made up. I think it's a matter of adapting to the new circumstances and making sure that we slow down this pace of climate change. I think that's the most important is that we actually act and take responsibility on on the way we are living and the consequences. Greenlanders have always known the beauty and power of their land. Now they hope the world will embrace it with respect to support a tourism industry that conserves the environment. We are super aware of what we have. I can see the treasure that Greenland is. We need to be very careful take very good care of nature and it's better to go slowly and thinking about what we're doing because it's here for the next generations as well and so that's what tourism is for in Greenland. It's for the people of Greenland. Greenland is opening up to the world and as tourism grows so does the responsibility to protect nature and support those who call the country home.