Although the region is home to the estate of Erik the Red, who arrived over 1,000 years ago, as well as Tasermiut Fjord, often referred to as the ‘Patagonia of Greenland’, it has long been difficult to access. Until recently, travellers had to arrive by cruise ship, take a two-day ferry from Greenland’s capital Nuuk, or fly to Narsarsuaq before continuing by helicopter or boat to Qaqortoq.

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Henceforward, that journey will be drastically shortened. Thanks to the opening of Qaqortoq airport, travellers will be able to take a short plane connection from Nuuk, which will bring them to the region in just 75 minutes. The 1,500-metre runway at Qaqortoq airport can accommodate Dash-8 Q200 and Q400 turboprop aircraft.

“With the opening of Qaqortoq Airport, we are taking an important step in the development of South Greenland. We are proud to contribute to the development of Greenland’s infrastructure and look forward to seeing how these new opportunities translate into tangible growth,” explained Jens Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports.

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Until the opening, most of the 30,000 annual visitors did not spend the night at Qaqortoq. Only 1,700 tourists on average stayed overnight each year, while the rest returned to their cruise ships after a day of kayaking, whale-watching, hiking, or relaxing at the nearby Uunartoq hot springs.

“South Greenland offers a rare combination of powerful nature and a living culture shaped over generations. Improved access allows us to welcome visitors with greater intention – encouraging travel with curiosity, while creating lasting value for local communities and more meaningful experiences for our guests,” said Visit Greenland Director Anne Nivika Grødem.

According to Air Greenland, there will be two daily direct flights between Nuuk and Qaqortoq year-round, taking just 75 minutes overall. In summer, that number will likely rise to 17 weekly services. Meanwhile, Icelandair is counting on organising four weekly summer flights between Keflavík and Qaqortoq starting from 2 June 2026.

“This is a big day for the community. The airport connects South Greenland more closely to both the rest of the country via Nuuk and the world via Keflavik. It creates new opportunities for tourism and business, while strengthening everyday life in the area,” stated Miki Jensen, CEO of Innovation South Greenland.

The newly-opened Qaqortoq airport is part of a series of upgrades to Greenland’s flight network. Recently, Nuuk Airport in the Greenland’s capital underwent major renovation works and an expansion of Ilulissat Airport is underway at the time of writing and should be completed by the end of 2026. By improving air access throughout the country, Greenland is looking to boost year-round tourism in order to support local businesses, to reduce travel times, and to contribute to a more balanced development across the country.

L’article Greenland opens Qaqortoq airport, unlocking access to the island’s south est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Back in 2023, during a project led by GreenDrill and the University at Buffalo, rocks and sediments buried beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet were collected for research purposes. Now, results have been published regarding the analysis of a piece of ice core collected 508 metres below the surface of the so-called Prudhoe Dome, a 500-metre-thick ice dome roughly the size of Luxembourg attached to the northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet.

Disastrous consequences

Using a technique called luminescence dating, the scientists were able to determine that the surface below the dome was last exposed to daylight some 7,000 years ago. This indicates that the dome melted away completely during the early Holocene period, much more recent than previously thought.

According to the researchers, this suggests the ice dome is highly sensitive to mild temperatures.

“This is a time known for climate stability, when humans first began developing farming practices and taking steps toward civilisation. So, for natural, mild climate change of that era to have melted Prudhoe Dome and kept it retreated for potentially thousands of years, it may only be a matter of time before it begins peeling back again from today’s human-induced climate change”, stated co-author Jason Briner, professor and associate chair of Earth sciences.

Estimates put the temperatures during the early Holocene some 3-5°C higher than today in the region, not the Prudhoe ice dome. According to the authors, “this range of summer temperatures is similar to projections of warming by the year 2100 CE.” Organising more drills on the Ice Sheet could help to narrow down the exact amount of melting and the minimum temperature increase needed for the ice dome to melt away entirely.

The ice dome, which measures some 500 metres in thickness and covers around 2,500 square kilometres, could thus potentially melt by the end of the century if the estimates regarding climate change are to become a reality. Globally, this could have an enormous impact, raising the sea levels by 73 centimetres. Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation programme, previously warned that every centimetre of sea level rise would expose some six million more people to coastal flooding.

L’article Scientists warn Greenland’s Prudhoe ice dome could disappear est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Around 150,000 tourists visited the autonomous Danish territory in 2024, according to Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s business minister. The sector accounted for nearly 5% of gross domestic product and employed 1,800 people, the country’s first Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) reported. It’s a success that looks set to be beaten in 2025, after a 14% rise in visitor numbers in January alone.

Connectivity between the US and Greenland includes a new United Airlines connection between New Jersey and Nuuk launched on 14 June 2025, offering direct routes on an American carrier for the first time and avoiding the need for a layover. A further two international airports – one in Ilulissat, known for its UNESCO-listed ice fjords, and another in Qaqortoq – are both slated for completion in 2026.

That sounds like an unforgettable journey! We're honored to be part of your adventure to Nuuk and thrilled you're enjoying the experience. Wishing you magical moments under the midnight sun!

— United Airlines (@united) June 14, 2025

That air network is in addition to cruise arrivals, though locals are less keen on visitors who spend less onshore, eating and sleeping on their ships. A stay-on-board attitude would appear to go against a philosophy that seems to be developing in Greenland: to share the real country with guests. Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, told Skift in early 2025 that Trump’s interest “raises Greenland’s profile globally” but that the notoriety comes with a risk of “inaccurate portrayals.”

Instead, Grødem called for authorities and locals to highlight the territory’s “unique cultural and natural experiences” which include volcanic scenery, fjords, basalt mountainscapes and the chance to see the northern lights. She has been echoed by Nathanielsen, who says “Tourism is about good vibes. It’s about sharing culture, sharing history. It’s about storytelling. And as Inuit, that’s very much part of our heritage.”

That message looks like it is getting through. Nukartaa Andreassen, who works for a water taxi company in the capital, Nuuk, has been reported in several outlets urging visitors to: “Come visit Greenland. Learn about it, learn about us. We love to have you. We love to tell our stories and our culture.”

Meanwhile Casper Frank Møller, the chief executive of tour company Raw Arctic said: “Our goal and mission is to present and be the ambassadors of Greenland,” promising to “show what beauty you can experience while you’re here.”

L’article Improved connectivity and newfound notoriety boost tourism to Greenland est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“A man with the last name of Trump has really put Greenland on the map once again,” says Knudsen-Ostermann, operator of Greenland Cruises.

Greenland, which relies on fishing for 95% of its exports, had hoped to diversify its economy – and appears to have attracted far more attention than anticipated.

Statistics Greenland reported a 14% rise in the number of visitors in January, with tourism operators confirming an increase in bookings since the airport’s opening. Until then, there were no direct international flights to Greenland’s capital, home to fewer than 20,000 people.

While the inaugural international flight to Nuuk – carrying Denmark’s foreign minister – was greeted with cheers and French champagne, the current geopolitical turbulence began with Donald Trump Jr’s visit, followed by his father’s revived and very vocal interest in the island. That interest goes beyond the attraction of a modern airport to the country’s vast natural reserves of rare earth minerals.

Previously, international flights had to transit via Copenhagen or a former US military base. That is no longer the case: United Airlines will launch a non-stop four-hour route from New York’s Newark Liberty International Airport to Nuuk this June. Greenland also plans to open two additional international airports – one in Ilulissat, known for its UNESCO-listed ice fjords, and another in Qaqortoq – both slated for completion in 2026.

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We expect a major boom this summer already.

Jen Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland’s airports

Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, told The Guardian that “global interest in Arctic destinations has grown, driven by a desire for adventurous experiences and awareness of climate change.”

Yet not everyone is celebrating. Many Inuit residents, who make up 89% of the population, are wary of the potential consequences – from environmental degradation to concerns about foreign companies monopolising the tourism economy.

To address this, Greenland passed the New Tourism Act, which came into effect on 1 January 2025. It requires that at least two-thirds of ownership in tourism businesses be held by Greenlandic residents who are tax-liable. Existing companies have until January 2027 to comply. This presents a challenge to local operators like Krogh, whose business was rescued during the pandemic by a foreign investor who now owns 40%. Since the law passed, he says, the company’s value has dropped sharply.

To protect fragile ecosystems, Greenland is also introducing a zoning system, dividing the country into green, yellow, and red zones to restrict access to sensitive areas impacted by climate change.

92,637 tourists visited Greenland in 2022, rising to 131,767 in 2023, with most visitors coming from Denmark, Germany, the US, and other European countries.

A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland – whose landmass is equal to that of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands and the UK combined – is now a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The US has operated military bases there since World War II and first offered to buy the island in 1946 for $100 million.

Usha Vance, the US Second Lady, announced on Monday her plan to visit Greenland this coming Thursday, without an invitation from either the Greenlandic or Danish governments. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded, “The visit from the United States cannot be seen in isolation from the public statements that have been made.” Just two weeks ago, Trump declared he would acquire Greenland “one way or another – for international world security.”

L’article Greenland’s unexpected tourist wave amidst Trump’s shadow est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Greenland is an autonomous territory that sits between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it operates under its own government with a high degree of self-rule. Classed as the world’s largest island but with a population of just 56,000 people, it has been in the news more than usual in recent weeks after President Trump mooted the idea of taking it over.

“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,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social network in December 2024.

US expansionism raising Greenland’s profile

It was not the first time the US has sought to expand and consolidate America’s powerbase in the North American Arctic – a project that started with the Alaska purchase in 1867. Neither is it the first time Trump himself has expressed interest in the territory, having already proposed to buy the land from Denmark in 2019. Then, it was a suggestion met with incredulity and opposition from Danish and Greenlandic officials and described as “absurd” by then Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen.

But Trump’s utterances since December 2024 have taken another turn, according to Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, who told Skift the President’s interest “raises Greenland’s profile globally” and that the tourism agency has since witnessed increasing traffic on its digital platforms.

Although Grødem acknowledges the media at attention comes with a risk of “inaccurate portrayals of Greenland”, she was quick to highlight the territory’s “unique cultural and natural experiences” which include volcanic scenery, fjords, basalt mountainscapes and the chance to see the northern lights.

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“The world’s eyes are on us”

Tanny Por, a Visit Greenland colleague, told The Telegraph the agency was set to analyse the impact of Trump’s remarks on confirmed booking data, which a 2023 report has already shown indicates a shortage of rooms, especially in the summer season. “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,” Por said at an Arctic tourism trade show.

Those additional eyeballs have coincided with the opening of a new international airport in Nuuk, and another set for 2026 in Ilulissat. The Nuuk facility means United Airlines is offering direct flights from New York to Greenland for the first time in summer 2025, and Scandinavian carrier SA, is also set to join Air Greenland and Icelandair in flying there. 

It’s a situation causing some concern to stakeholders, who have pointed out the need for additional infrastructure and rooms to cater to the growing demand. There may be some relief in certain quarters therefore that Trump’s attention span currently also includes the potential US annexation of Canada, as well as control of the Panama Canal.

L’article Greenland could experience tourism surge thanks to Donald Trump est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

With just under 20,000 inhabitants, Greenland’s Nuuk is a small city on the edge of the snowy wilderness and the world’s northernmost capital. With architecture ranging from traditional earth-hewn Inuit structures to colourful Danish colonial stylings and sharp modernist design, and a fascinating history of trade and identity, it is already drawing record numbers of tourists. 140,000 visitors went to Greenland in 2023, up year-on-year by 36%, in what the country’s Minister of Business, Trade and Mineral Resources has called a “tourist boom.”

An additional $200,000 for the economy with every flight

That trend seems set to continue, aided by the advent of a 2,200-metre runway, which opened on 28 November 2024 – an infrastructure development that will allow large commercial aircraft to land at Nuuk for the first time. Until now, Greenlanders and tourists alike have had to commute via smaller aircraft (there are only 90 km of metalled roads in the whole country) to other air bases like Kangerlussuaq, built by the US during the Second World War in order to catch bigger planes and go abroad.

Now though, that extra leg of the journey will become obsolete as Air Greenland makes Nuuk its base and begins operating Airbus A330neo flights to Copenhagen, Denmark and Reykjavik, Iceland.

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Giving Nuuk a handling capacity of 800 passengers an hour, the airport’s transformation is predicted to bring an additional $200,000 into the Greenlandic economy with every single flight, says Jens Lauridsen, chief executive of Greenland Airports, as well as giving visitors a unique experience. “We’re located in the Arctic,” he told CNN, adding that people are “in for an adventure when you come here.”

“The end of an era”

It is a sentiment echoed by Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, who said the country is not “just a destination; it’s an experience that changes how you see the world.” She recommends visitors “come with an open mind and a spirit of adventure. The country’s quiet, reflective culture offers a chance to reconnect with nature and yourself.”

Meanwhile, Greenland’s best-known blogger, Qupanuk Olsen, called the inauguration of Nuuk’s new runway “the end of an era”, noting that nearly every Greenlandic citizen has spent hours at Kangerlussuaq Airport, which will no longer be such an important hub. But, it’s not the end of the runway for Kangerlussuaq, Olsen noted, declaring that the city would be able to become more of an attraction in its own right: “transitioning from an airport hub, to a destination!”

L’article Greenland’s new international airport ushers in new era and economic boost est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“Colourful Nuuk” becomes an international gateway

International visitors wishing to fly to “Colourful Nuuk”, with its fishing cottages, modern apartments, stunning fjord system, impressive Sermitsiaq mountain sunsets, and unbeatable access to the pristine snowy backcountry, must currently commute over 300 km by 35-seat propeller aircraft to a former military airbase built by the US in Kangerlussuaq, before transferring to a bigger jet. And of course, that applies just the same to Nuuk residents wishing to see the rest of the world.

But from 28 November 2024, a new international airport will begin five commercial flights per week between Nuuk and Copenhagen, increasing to six and adding a New York route to the schedule in summer 2025. Other international hubs, such as London Heathrow are likely to follow. Positioned halfway between North America and Europe, Nuuk is in an ideal position to take advantage of curious tourists from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

Big interest from all major carriers

“A flight from Europe to Nuuk is a little more than four hours,” Jens Lauridsen, the chief executive of operator Greenland Airports told the BBC. “From the US East Coast is also four hours. So we’re placed right in the middle. There is a very, very big interest from all major carriers in Europe.” Many of the airline’s new international flights will be via partner airlines, Simple Flying suggests, noting that Air Greenland has plans to increase collaboration and already codeshares with Icelandair, SAS and Canadian North. 

Noting how isolated Greenland has been, Lauridsen added: “I think it will be a big impact. I’m sure we will see a lot of tourism, and we’ll see a lot of change.”

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Profound impact and risk of overdevelopment

Like many destinations in the post-Covid era, Greenland has already seen tourism grow significantly, with foreign visitor numbers up by 36.5% from 2022 to 2023, reaching more than 140,000. “We are already in a tourist boom, and feeling how tourism can affect smaller places in a good way, but also negatively,” Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister of Business, Trade and Mineral Resources, has said.

Acknowledging that the impact of the three new airports will be “profound”, she is keen “to welcome the tourists in the bigger cities, but we also want to spread them out more.” Part of the aim is to avoid a phenomenon where Greenlanders “develop tourism too fast… that happened in Iceland, so I think we have a lot of things we can learn from them,” she said, adding, “I sense that it’s going to really change the map of Greenland. This will bring a lot of good, but also some changes we’ll probably need to adjust to.” 

L’article Direct flights to Greenland’s capital set to take off in November 2024 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and Arizona State University examined satellite images and historical aerial photographs found in a castle outside Copenhagen 15 years ago and initially taken by the military. The joint research team, led by Laura Larocca of Arizona’s School of Ocean Futures, tracked over a thousand so-called “land-terminating” glaciers, or glaciers that terminate inland, often neglected in other studies. The main way that these melt and lose mass is through surface channels and melt ponds (called supraglacial lakes).

It’s tough to be a glacier in Greenland in the 21st century. Check out our work published today OA in @NatureClimate: https://t.co/1a5wYMJoEK. Highlights below

— Laura Larocca (@laurajlarocca) November 9, 2023

Glaciers retreating 25 metres per year

The new study, published in Nature Climate Change journal, found that the glaciers have retreated twice as fast this century than in the previous 100 years, averaging a loss of 25 metres per year for the last 20 years, versus around 6 metres per year in the 20^th century.

The reason for the accelerated melt? Human-induced climate change, with the world’s temperature now 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). As recently reported by Travel Tomorrow, global average temperatures in 2023 were hotter than ever. The Arctic is particularly badly affected by the warming – with its temperature increasing four times faster than elsewhere. It even rained at the summit of Greenland’s ice sheet for the first time since records began in 2021.

The rapid rate of glacier loss is likely to continue if predictions that the effects of the current El Niño conditions will go on and even intensify into 2024 and beyond.

Why does it matter?

Northern Greenland’s gigantic glaciers and ice sheets were once believed to be stable entities and many may remember terms like “permafrost” that date back to the 1940s and give a false sense of security about the behaviours of polar ice mass behaviour.

The rapid melting of glaciers now being witnessed could raise sea levels globally by as much as 6 metres if all their water were to melt into the sea. NASA has also been tracking sea level rise for 30 years and has found that by the early 1990s, it was about 2.5 mm per year, a millimetre more than over the 20^th century. Over the past decade, the rate has increased to 3.9 mm per year

The rise of sea level caused by human interference with the climate now dwarfs the natural cycles. And it is happening faster and faster every decade.

Josh Willis, an Oceanographer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Project Scientist

While this may seem insignificant, scientists estimate that for every 2.5 centimeters of sea level rise, 2.5 meters of beachfront are lost along the average coast. As sea levels rise, tides and storm surges can become greater, causing coasting flooding, even on sunny days.

“Urgency”

Now the latest study shows that 21% of the increase in sea level between 2006 and 2018 is due to the land-terminating glaciers, while the melting ice sheet has contributed 17.3%. This means the rapid loss of the peripheral glaciers (just 4% of the whole) is contributing disproportionately to rising sea levels.

The findings underscore “the urgency for immediate climate action to limit global temperature rise”, the authors said.

L’article Greenland’s glaciers melting five times faster over last two decades est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Thursday morning, fishing research vessel Tarajoq, of Greenland’s Institute of Nature, successfully pulled the Ocean Explorer off the sand and mud bed it had got stuck on. The combined effort from Tarajoq and the cruise ship’s own power, with the help of the high tide, resulted in the successful escape.

Tarajoq had reached the site Wednesday morning and had made several other attempts at helping Ocean Explorer before finally managing to get the cruise ship afloat again on Thursday morning. Present on the scene was also Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command (JAC) Sirius Sled Patrol, who had been constantly assessing the situation and passenger and crew’s safety and wellbeing.

Had the research vessel not managed to free up the cruise, an inspection vessel, dispatched by JAC, would have only made it to the location Friday evening at the earliest. At the time of the distress signal, the inspection vessel, Knud Rasmussen, was 1,200 nautical miles (about 2,222 km) away from the scene, unfavourable weather further slowing it down.

“The vessel and its passengers will now be positioned to a port where the vessel’s bottom damages can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a port from which they can be flown back home”, the ship’s owner, SunStone revealed in a statement. The exact port where the passengers will be taken is yet unknown.

“There have not been any injuries to any person on board, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull”, SunStone added. “We would like to thank our charterer Aurora Expeditions as well as all their passengers for an excellent cooperation in this unexpected and difficult circumstance.”

The cruise left Norway on 2 September and was supposed to return on 22 September. Despite the seemingly dire circumstances, spirits remained high among the 206 people on board (112 passengers and 94 crew). One guest told CNN affiliate Nine News that her “biggest concern” was running out of alcohol. When that happens, she jokingly pointed out that she might be swimming back to Iceland.

Several passengers were also placed in isolation after being confirmed as infected with Covid-19, but they also remained positive throughout the experience. “Everyone’s in good spirits. It’s a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world. We’re sitting right near the glacier when we open our window”, Steven Fraser, a retired passenger who got Covid during the cruise, told the Sidney Morning Herald.

L’article Luxury cruise ship freed after being stranded in Greenland for several days est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The ship got stuck on a bed of sand and mud and despite several attempts at freeing itself at high tide, the efforts remained unsuccessful. Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command (JAC) has dispatched vessels to the scene, the Sirius Sled Patrol being first to arrive. JAC has also sent a Challenger surveillance plane to take pictures of the ship to help assess the situation on site.

While Sirius personnel confirmed all 206 people onboard, 112 passengers and 94 crew) the cruise ship are safe, the closest inspection vessel, Knud Rasmussen still has a long journey before reaching Ocean Explorer. At the time of the distress signal, the vessel was 1,200 nautical miles (about 2,222) km away from the scene. Due to additional unfavourable weather slowing down Knud Rasmussen, it is not expected to arrive at the scene before Friday evening.

In the meantime, Wednesday morning, a fishing research ship from Greenland’s Institute of Nature reached the cruise ship and attempted to pull Ocean Explorer off the sand bed during high tide. Unfortunately, this was also unsuccessful, so the crew and passengers still have to wait for further help to arrive.

On Thursday morning Aurora Expeditions confirmed that three passengers aboard the ship have Covid-19. The tour agency said they have been placed in isolation and no other guests show any signs of infection.

The Arctic Command has confirmed that there is no “immediate danger to human life or the environment”, the Danish Armed Forces being present on board and ensuring everybody onboard is safe.

Despite the seemingly dire situation, passengers’ spirits are reported to remain high. One guest told CNN affiliate Nine News that her “biggest concern” was running out of alcohol. When that happens, she jokingly pointed out that she might be swimming back to Iceland.

L’article 206 passengers stranded on luxury cruise ship in Greenland est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.