Greenland boosts tourism, promising unforgettable experiences

(Fatherland) - According to Euro News, whale watching, iceberg trekking and the opportunity to admire the aurora borealis, Greenland is a promising destination this year.

Despite its fledgling tourism industry, the island is making strides. Greenland’s giant icebergs and ancient glaciers – such distant sights – have never been closer to visitors in 2025.

Illustration photo. Source: Christine Zenino/Wikimedia

Greenland's majestic beauty comes from its pristine natural landscapes and vast open spaces. Located within the Arctic Circle, the island offers visitors a unique experience that is hard to match anywhere else in the world .

With little artificial light, pristine nature and clear blue skies, Greenland is an ideal destination for night sky viewing. Its northern location and long winters make it one of the best places to see the Northern Lights.

Sermeq Kujalleq is one of the fastest-moving and most active glaciers in the world. Photo: Lisa L Ouellette/Flickr

Greenland is promoting itself as an adventure tourism destination, with its skyscraper-sized icebergs offering visitors the chance to explore ancient glaciers by boat or kayak. Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the island’s icons, where giant icebergs break off from the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier.

Surreal scenery

Winter fun is a year-round activity in Greenland, with dogsledding a popular hobby among both tourists and locals.

The Greenland towns of Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq have long snow trails ideal for this sport. Visitors can experience Innuit sled dog racing in the town of Tasiilaq. Skiing and snowboarding are also popular, with heli-skiing being an option for those looking for thrills.

Greenland offers a wide variety of wildlife viewing opportunities, but the most popular is undoubtedly the sighting of giant whales in their natural habitat. From Disko Bay and Nuuk, visitors can take boat tours to see humpback whales, fin whales, and even minke whales in the Arctic waters.

Not only that, Nuuk and its towns offer rich cultural and historical experiences combined with great hiking, wildlife watching and relaxation. Currently, about 90% of Greenland's exports come from seafood.

Although not an economic strength, tourism is still an important source of foreign exchange for the Greenland economy. By 2035, the government has set a target of tourism accounting for 40% of export value. Therefore, Greenland is actively attracting adventurous tourists by 2025, with attractive tourism promotion programs from unspoiled nature and unique Arctic experiences.

Approaching solutions to bring Greenland closer to tourists

By the end of 2024, the new international airport in the capital Nuuk will be operational, replacing a short runway built in 1979 that only served small planes and local jets.

Now, with a 2,200-meter runway - twice as long as before - and a modern terminal, major airlines can operate direct flights with large aircraft, making Greenland more easily connected to the world.

The new airport at Nuuk makes the island easier to access. Photo: Oscar Scott Carl/Visit Greenland

Several airlines have planned to operate flights to the capital Nuuk from 2025. Among them, the US airline United Airlines will operate direct flights next June. SAS, Scandinavia's largest airline, also using large aircraft, will open a direct route to the capital of Greenland.

In addition to Nuuk, Greenland is also expanding its aviation infrastructure with two international airports in the towns of Ilulissat and Qaqortoq, expected to be operational by 2026. Other airport upgrade plans are also being considered.

Why does Greenland want to attract international tourists?

Tourism development is an important economic driver for Greenland, helping the island reduce its dependence on the fisheries industry and exploit its tourism potential to supplement budget revenues.

Tourism is booming here, with a record number of international visitors in 2023. Nearly 40,000 arrivals by air are expected, up 9% from 2022, while more than 76,000 are expected by cruise ship, double the number in 2019 before the pandemic.

The number of cruise ships docking at the island has increased sharply. Photo: Visit Greenland.

While the modern airport and unique landscape create ideal conditions for tourism development, the Greenland government is cautious to avoid overtourism on the island. In 2023, Greenland signed a sustainable tourism pledge, affirming that tourism development will bring practical benefits to local residents while preserving important cultural values.

Greenland's unspoiled beauty is slowly being discovered, and with flights expanding, the island is sure to become one of the most popular tourist destinations by 2025, according to Euro News.

Source: https://toquocweb.dev.cnnd.vn/buoc-tien-lon-dua-greenland-den-gan-du-khach-hon-20250228195157734.htm