Greenland hopes it can use some of the attention it has been getting for an influx of American tourists amid US President Donald Trump’s comments on wanting to take over the territory.
The island, which has 56,000 residents, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, and both the Danish government and Greenlandic authorities have hit back at the US, saying that the island is not for sale.
President Trump wrote on Truth Social in December: “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
US politicians have since doubled down on Mr Trump’s comments, while some European authorities have condemned the president’s bid for a takeover.
Despite the issue causing contention on the political stage, Visit Greenland, the national tourism board, has admitted that the comments have put the island on the map for many Americans who may not have known about Greenland otherwise.
Tanny Por, of Visit Greenland, said that it was surveying local operators to determine how far Mr Trump’s comments had already translated into firm bookings, according to The Telegraph.
Speaking at a trade show on Arctic tourism in Reykjavík, Iceland, she said: “We are hoping that we will be able to use some of the attention to get more guests to Greenland.
“The world’s eyes are on us.”
Before Mr Trump’s declaration, Greenland already anticipated that its American tourist numbers would grow in 2025 due to the new direct United Airlines flights.
The US-based airline announced last year that it would be offering direct flights to Greenland from New York in the summer months, the first airline to ever do so.
The airline anticipates it will run a twice-weekly service from June through September, making it easier than ever to reach the island.
The announcement came just before Greenland opened a new international airport in November, with the aim of enticing more tourists to its ice-capped territory.
Both the airport operator and Visit Greenland says it hopes that the new airports, along with a collaborative effort to promote the unsung destination of picturesque volcanic scenery, fjords, valleys, and basalt mountains, will open Greenland up to the world.
However, officials are also wary of getting the right balance between tourism growth and the well-being of their established communities on the island.
Hjörtur Smárason, the director of Visit Greenland, said in 2021 that “Greenland had so many unique experiences to offer tourists, and if we want more of them, then the message and knowledge must be spread even more than it is today.
“At the same time, we want to grow responsibly and with the right tourists, so we must also find the partners who can help with just that.”
The Independent has contacted Visit Greenland for further comment.
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