Greenland Opens First Direct Flight To US Marks New Chapter in Tourism

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United Airlines will run a nonstop, four-hour flight from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Greenland.

Greenland opens two new airports with two more planned, raising many expectations. It will be the first direct flight from the US to Greenland.

Passengers in the cabin of Air Greenland flight GL781 were offered miniature Nicolas Feuillatte champagne during the first-ever international flight arrival into Nuuk, the most populated town on Danish territory.

The flight departed from Copenhagen, the Danish capital, and it was more historic for Denmark’s foreign minister to be onboard.

From June, United Airlines will run a nonstop, four-hour flight from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Nuuk.

Flights will have 55,000 seats between April and August. It will nearly double next year to 105,000 sets.

By the end of 2026, two other airports in Qaqortoq and Ilulissat should be operational.

Greenlandic Inuit make up about 89% of the population. Survey shows that there is amazing support for the growth of tourism. But, they are also concerned that foreign companies will exploit it for profit and degrade the natural beauty in Greenland.  

This summer, a big cruise ship was restricted from entering Ilulissat due to allegations that it was only doing business with foreign-owned tour operators.

With elections next year, the government responded to the concerns by passing a controversial tourist law that will take effect in January.

After a public consultation, Greenland will be classified into green, yellow, and red zones to protect sensitive ecosystems under stress from the climate emergency, cultural heritage sites, and traditional hunting grounds.

New ownership standards are implemented for tourism businesses. Tourism licenses are granted to only those registered and paid taxes in Greenland. A local person must own at least two-thirds of a limited liability company’s capital and voting rights.

Pipaluk Ostermann, who works at Tupilak Travel, an independent travel agency in the center of Nuuk, was happy about the new airport and US tourist dollars. However, she was concerned about foreign businesses exploiting the region, but the law reassured her more.

Others have argued that the policy will prevent foreign investment in the country.

Jon Krogh owns a high-end glamping business, Nomad Greenland, which was featured in National Geographic and the Financial Times.

Krogh is concerned about what Americans would think of Greenland due to its poor tourism infrastructure. His business survived the pandemic due to the foreign investor who owns 40% of his company.  

He claimed that his company’s value had fallen since the law and that he would have to abandon his plans to build new lodges for visitors to enjoy the wilderness.

He added that people buy airline tickets expecting the best hotel, but the best hotel is a two-star in Dubai, so they leave disappointed. It will take 10 to 15 years to rebuild the image since they leave disappointed with no decent hotel and no activities.

The number of visitors to Greenland increased from 92,637 in 2022 to 131,767 last year. Most visitors came from Denmark, Germany, the United States, and other European countries.

Anne Nivika, CEO of Visit Greenland, states that people started showing more interest in Arctic destinations because they want to try adventurous experiences.

Demand increased due to the construction of Nuuk Airport as there were no direct international flights to Greenland’s capital, home to 19,783.

Previously, the first stop was a former US military post in Kangerlussuaq, 200 miles (320 km) north of Nuuk, followed by an internal flight. It would take 4 hours and 50 minutes from Copenhagen to Nuuk.

Christian Keldsen, the director of the Greenland Business Association, expressed his concern that Denmark’s colonial background and potential exploitation by foreign countries have contributed towards protectionism.