Tourism Must Never Takes More than it Gives

‍How can tourism help build an entire nation — its culture, communities, economy, and sense of belonging? For Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), this question lies at the heart of a decade-defining strategy for developing the country’s visitor economy.

With two new international airports connecting the country to the world, and with growing global attention and curiosity for the Arctic, Greenland is entering a new era of greeting, meeting, and mixing with visitors from around the planet. But instead of chasing numbers, the determination behind the new strategy is very clear: growth must translate into real value — for people, nature, culture, and community alike.

In 2024, Visit Greenland and Group NAO were tasked with shaping Greenland’s first-ever national tourism sector plan — a cornerstone of the Government’s ambition to make tourism a strategic driver for national prosperity and resilience. The process began with “listening and dialogue tours” across the country, gathering voices from towns, settlements, businesses, and citizens.

Their shared values and messages to Visit Greenland were unambiguous: tourism must be built on Greenlandic terms, create real value for everyone in Greenland, and be rooted in culture and care for the land.

The resulting strategy and vision, “KALAALLIT NUNAAT …and all that we share,” sets a new benchmark for how a small nation can shape tourism on its own terms. It upholds a model in which every visitor, tourism offering, and future investment helps create opportunities for locals, contributes to community life, and safeguards the Arctic environment.

The work marks a milestone in Greenland’s journey to become a world-class Arctic tourism nation — one where tourism benefits everyone, strengthens pride in Kalaallit Nunaat, and makes the country an even better place to live.

Read more about the strategy here