🇬🇱 Visit Greenland appoints new CEO

The Board of Directors of Visit Greenland has appointed Linda Kleist as the organisation’s new CEO. Linda Kleist will thereby continue to lead the organisation, having served as Acting CEO since the departure of Anne Nivíka Grødem.

The appointment follows a recruitment process in which the Board placed emphasis on Visit Greenland’s need for a long-term leadership solution that can ensure continuity, stability and clear direction in the organisation’s responsibility as Greenland’s national tourism organisation.

“Visit Greenland has an important task ahead. With our strategy towards 2035, we have set a clear direction for how the organisation will strengthen Greenland’s position as a travel destination. This is while supporting responsible tourism development that creates local value and is rooted in Greenland’s own realities. This requires a CEO who can translate strategy into action, bring the organisation together and strengthen collaboration with destinations, industry partners, authorities and international partners. Linda is well equipped for this task,” says Anette G. Lings, Chair of the Board of Visit Greenland.

Linda Kleist comes from the position of Head of Destination Development & Cruise at Visit Greenland and has, since 2023, worked with national destination development, collaboration with regional tourism boards, stakeholder dialogue and the strategic anchoring of initiatives across the country. She has been part of Visit Greenland’s management team and has held professional and managerial responsibility for translating strategy into concrete action in close collaboration with the regions, the tourism industry and partners.

Before joining Visit Greenland, Linda Kleist was Destination Manager at Destination Diskobay, where her work included regional branding, stakeholder collaboration, wayfinding, visibility and local tourism development.

“Visit Greenland needs a CEO who can lead the organisation’s national role while also strengthening Greenland’s position internationally. This requires strategic overview, commercial understanding and the ability to build strong partnerships across destinations, the tourism industry and international partners. Linda has that combination. She knows the organisation from the inside, has solid experience from local, regional and national tourism development, and has demonstrated her ability to turn strategy into action and create momentum in complex processes,” says Anette G. Lings.

The Board highlights Linda Kleist’s strong understanding of the full scope of the task Visit Greenland is set to carry out – from international positioning and market development to local capacity, collaboration and value creation within the tourism industry.

Linda Kleist was born and raised in Kalaallit Nunaat and has travelled throughout the country during both her upbringing and her professional life. She holds a Professional Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Management and has a background in marketing management.

As CEO, Linda Kleist will lead Visit Greenland’s continued work to strengthen Greenland’s international position as a travel destination and support responsible tourism development that creates value for the entire country.

“I am grateful for the Board’s trust and humbled by the task ahead. Kalaallit Nunaat is my home, my driving force and my professional foundation. I will continue working to ensure that Visit Greenland contributes to strengthening the country’s international position and attracting visitors who meet our country with curiosity and respect – and where tourism increasingly creates value in the local communities it becomes part of. To me, responsible tourism development is also about supporting an attractive tourism industry and a development where Greenland is both a good place to live and a good place to visit,” says Linda Kleist.

With this appointment, the Board aims to ensure continuity in Visit Greenland’s ongoing work while strengthening the organisation’s ability to translate its strategy into concrete results. This comes at a time when international interest in Greenland is growing, and where the development of tourism requires clear priorities, strong partnerships and close interaction between local stakeholders, destinations, the tourism industry, authorities and international partners.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Visit Greenland

Anette Lings
Chair of the Board

Originally published on June 15 by Visit Greenland.