🇬🇱 Visit Greenland publishes the country’s first tourism satellite account

Visit Greenland has just published the first official Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) – an internationally recognized economic framework – showing that in 2024, tourism directly accounted for 4.9% of Greenland’s GDP and employed an average of 1,800 people.

Nuuk, May 27, 2025

The account, compiled according to international standards, confirms that tourism is an important part of the Greenlandic economy. The statement shows that in 2024, tourism contributed 1.245 billion DKK in value and 1,800 direct jobs. This means that in 2024, tourism constitutes 4.9% of Greenland’s GDP and over 6% of all jobs in the country.

“Tourism is an important part of Greenlandic society – not just for those working in the industry, but for all of us. It creates jobs, income, and development opportunities across the country. Tourism is not a goal in itself, but a means to strengthen positive societal development. That is why it is so crucial that we now have data that enables us to develop tourism responsibly – with respect for both our country, our communities, and each other,” says Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland.

Tourists’ total expenditure in Greenland in 2024 amounted to nearly 3 billion DKK – of which 58% came from international tourists. Expenses were distributed across transportation, accommodation, experiences, food, and Greenlandic products – thereby creating activity in large parts of society.

A SHARED STARTING POINT – AND A CALL TO ACTION

The Tourism Satellite Account is the first step towards gaining a clear picture of tourism’s role in Greenland. It not only shows what tourism contributes today – but also where there is potential for more.

“With the tourism account, we now have the insight we have been missing – we know where we stand. It gives us a common and solid starting point for discussing tourism development. It is encouraging that the number of jobs is growing and that tourism has firmly established itself as a significant sector in our economy. Now we must continue the work of developing tourism, not just measured in economic growth, but also in a way that ensures that tourism is distributed throughout the entire country, benefits as many as possible, and provides year-round employment. This can only be achieved through very broad cooperation between the government, municipalities, all branches of business, and the country’s citizens. The figures confirm that the opportunities are there, and we must seize these opportunities,” says Naaja H. Nathanielsen, Minister for Business, Minerals, Energy, Justice, and Gender Equality.

Visit Greenland emphasizes that the account will be used actively – both as a basis for decision-making and as a starting point for further development, as well as in close conjunction with Naalakkersuisut’s sector plan for tourism, and Visit Greenland’s new 10-year strategy; Kalaallit Nunaat …and all that we share.

KEY FIGURES

The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is an internationally recognized method for calculating tourism’s contribution to the economy. The Greenlandic TSA was prepared by Rambøll Management Consulting for Visit Greenland, and financed by funds from the EU program “Green Transition

Key figures from the Tourism Satellite Account 2024

• 4,9% of Greenland’s GDP comes from tourism.
• 3 billion DKK in total tourism consumption in 2024.
  • Including 1.7 billion DKK from international tourists (58%) and 1.2 billion DKK from domestic tourists (42%).
  • International tourists spent the most on flights (31%), experiences (14%), accommodation and food (21%).
• 1,800 people are on average employed in the tourism sector (equivalent to 6.2% of all jobs).

The results are based on tourist surveys, public accounts, and national statistics.

Greenland’s Tourism Satellite Account 2024 is publicly available at tourismstat.gl