Tourism is a relatively young business sector ofGreenland. Since the foundation of the national tourist council, Greenland Tourism, in 1992, the Home Rule Government (renamed 'Self Rule Government' in 2009) has been working actively with promoting the destination and helping smaller tourist providers to establish their services.[citation needed] Foreign travel agencies have increasingly been opening up sale of Greenland trips and tours, and the cruise industry has had a relatively large increase in routes to (or passing) Greenland since about the turn of the century.[citation needed]
The country has spectacular scenery[1] and a few historic sites. The everyday life and local culture of Greenlanders is one of the main experiences for adventure travellers to Greenland.
The main tourist activities on offer are sailing tours among icebergs, dog sledding tours, ice cap treks, wildlife spotting (includingwhale watching[2]),iceberg watching, andhiking trips to the mainlyNorse ruins.
Visit Greenland is the Greenland Self-Rule Government agency responsible fortourism inGreenland.[3] The head office is inNuuk, Greenland. There is a subsidiary office inCopenhagenDenmark.
Visit Greenland was established in 1992. Its original goal was to develop asustainable tourism industry and market Greenland as atourism destination. The role was subsequently expanded to include the development of industry andsmall businesses in Greenland. Visit Greenland in Nuuk focuses on facilitation and the Copenhagen office focuses on marketing. Visit Greenland has a collaboration with the Danish travel agency Greenland Travel,[4] which is currently the largest tour operator and travel agency specializing in travels to Greenland.
Most overnight visitors (Non-Greenlandic) arriving to Greenland in 2016 were from the following countries of nationality:[5]
| Rank | Country | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Denmark | 19,275 |
| 2 |  United States | 2,767 |
| 3 |  Germany | 2,440 |
| 4 |  Sweden | 2,352 |
| 5 |  United Kingdom | 1,595 |
| 6 |  Iceland | 1,166 |
| 7 |  Norway | 1,125 |
| 8 |  France | 748 |
| 9 |  Canada | 716 |
| 10 |  Japan | 583 |
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In 2002 Greenland (then "Home Rule Government" now "Self-Rule Government") established five focus regions for the development of the tourism industry in Greenland. "Destination North Greenland" centered onDisko Bay, "Destination Arctic Circle" centered onKangerlussuaq, "Destination Capital Region" centered on the capitalNuuk, "Destination South Greenland" centered onQaqortoq, and "Destination East Greenland" in East Greenland withTasiilaq as the main hub.
The most popular tourist destination isIlulissat Icefjord, which has been declared aUNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tourism increased significantly between 2015 and 2019, with the number of visitors increasing from 77,000 per year to 105,000.[6] One source estimated that in 2019 the revenue from this aspect of the economy was about 450 million kroner (US$67 million). Like many aspects of the economy, this slowed dramatically in 2020, and into 2021, due to restrictions required as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic;[7] one source describes tourism as being the "biggest economic victim of the coronavirus". (The overall economy did not suffer too severely as of mid 2020, thanks to the fisheries "and a hefty subsidy from Copenhagen".)[8] Tourism is expected to recover in 2021, and Greenland's goal is to develop it "right" and to "build a more sustainable tourism for the long run".[9]
Greenland experienced a surge in tourism following renewed global attention fromU.S. President Donald Trump during his second term. In early 2025, Trump’s comments and his sonDonald Trump Jr.'s visit to the newly openedNuuk international airport drew international focus. Tour operators, such as Ivik Knudsen-Ostermann of Greenland Cruises, reported a significant rise in bookings. The tourism boom aligns with Greenland’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond fishing, leveraging its glaciers, fjords, andInuit culture. Meanwhile, Trump reaffirmed his interest in acquiring the island, citing its rare earth mineral resources.[10][11]
Greenland travel guide from Wikivoyage