Visit Greenland, the country's national tourism organization, has partnered with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) on a trade perceptions study to understand how the destination can better serve the global adventure travel market.
Carried out in April and May 2026 as part of the ATTA's Adventure Travel Trade Perceptions of a Destination series, the survey collected responses from the ATTA's worldwide adventure travel community (with a heavy response from the United States) and asked a direct question: how do the buyers who build and sell adventure itineraries see Greenland, and what would help them sell more of it?
"We have never lacked interest in Greenland, and this research confirms that," said Tanny Por, Head of International, Media and Trade Relations at Visit Greenland. "What we wanted to understand was the practical distance between that interest and a finished itinerary, and where we can be more useful to the trade in closing it. Asking the buyers themselves, through a community that already works in adventure travel every day, gives us answers we can act on rather than assumptions we would have to test later."
Greenland Already Has the Trade’s Attention
Adventure travel buyers already see Greenland as a highly attractive destination. Respondents rated its overall adventure tourism appeal an average of 7.9 out of 10.
The words they used to describe Greenland help explain why. Respondents pictured a remote Arctic wilderness shaped by glaciers, icebergs, and vast untouched landscapes. Words such as pristine, rugged, and adventurous appeared alongside references to Inuit culture and wildlife.
Hiking and kayaking were the activities mentioned most often, followed by dog sledding, glacier trekking, wildlife watching, northern lights viewing, and fjord and iceberg excursions.
Many respondents also described Greenland as undiscovered, emerging, or untapped. The finding points to an opportunity to build greater familiarity and awareness among buyers.
The Product Is Strong
Respondents with firsthand experience of Greenland rated its on-the-ground offering highly. Among the handful of respondents who said they had no intention of offering Greenland, reasons centered on commercial and logistical considerations.
For Greenland, that means the next stage of market development can focus on access, product knowledge, and trade relationships.
What Draws Buyers: Nature, Activity, and Culture
Among the operators who sell Greenland or plan to, nature was the leading reason to build itineraries there, followed closely by adventure activities, culture and tradition, and the chance for travelers to interact with locals. Write-in responses added expedition and cruise add-ons, northern lights, and science, education, and climate themes.
Getting to Greenland Is Becoming Easier
The research comes at a moment when access to Greenland is changing quickly.
Nuuk’s international airport opened in November 2024, Qaqortoq followed in April 2026, and Ilulissat is also gaining expanded international access when it opens in November 2026. Direct service between Newark and Nuuk has further changed connectivity for North American travelers.
For advisors and operators considering Greenland, those improvements matter. Easier access can simplify itinerary planning and gives Visit Greenland a timely reason to update buyers on how the destination can now be reached.
Reframing Remoteness
One of the most useful findings is the importance of Greenland’s remoteness to its appeal.
Distance and access shape how buyers plan and sell trips to Greenland. They also contribute directly to the qualities travelers value most, including space, solitude, wild landscapes, and an Arctic experience that still feels genuinely remote.
That gives Greenland a clear positioning opportunity. Remoteness can be presented as a defining part of the experience and a reason travelers choose the destination.
The research suggests Greenland already has strong appeal among adventure travel buyers. The next step is helping more of them experience the destination, understand how to sell it, and connect with the local partners who can turn interest into bookable trips.
Photo by Emmett Sparling - Visit Greenland