A frozen landscape with breathtaking views, Greenland wants to attract more tourists but its remote location and fragile environment – which make it a unique destination – also pose challenges.
“The effects of global heating are at their most pronounced in the Arctic,” says Michael Hall, a professor and tourism expert at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
Global warming is accelerating the loss of Arctic sea ice in summer, as well as the melting of permafrost, ice shelves and glaciers, Hall says, referring to elements that contribute to the island’s uniqueness.
Across Greenland, residents are witnessing first-hand the effects of global warming.
In Maniitsoq, a town on the southwestern coast, the sea ice has not been solid enough to walk on since 2018. Residents have also seen it shrink from year to year, in addition to less abundant snowfalls.
Tourists are nonetheless awestruck by the vistas.