Greenland’s big tourism push: Why the world’s largest island wants more visitors

Whale watching, iceberg treks and almost guaranteed Northern Lights - why wouldn’t you want to visit Greenland? Yet tourism in the country is a relatively young business, and one that the world’s largest island is keen to grow.

Greenland is seeking to diversify its economy. About 90 per cent of its exports currently come from fishing, but relying so heavily on a single industry is seen as potentially risky. 

The government is aiming for tourism to reach 40 per cent of its export value by 2035. Although tourism isn’t ‘exported’ as such, it brings foreign money into the country, so is classified as an economic export. 

To put that into context, the tourism revenue generated in 2023 (€250 million) would need to triple in the next decade to come close to 40 per cent of Greenland’s export value. 

So the island is hoping to attract many more intrepid travellers to its shores in 2025, with a unique offering of remote seclusion and bucket-list Arctic activities.

In October 2024, the capital of Greenland, Nuuk, officially opened its new international airport. Although there has been an airport in Nuuk since 1979, its runway was too short for large airliners to use, and flights were limited to small turboprop and regional jet aircraft.

Now, the runway has more than doubled in length to 2,200 metres and a new terminal has been built. Major airlines with large passenger jets are able to fly in and connect the island’s capital directly to destinations around the world.

“Previously, Nuuk did not have a sufficiently long runway or suitable terminal for non-stop flights to Europe or beyond,” notes airline route analyst James Pearson.

“This meant that Air Greenland’s A330s had to fly from Kangerlussuaq, with most passengers connecting on to