A town divided: how cruise tourism tore Greenland’s iceberg capital in two
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Version 0 of 1. Ilulissat’s mayor has called for protests as local operators are frozen out of a booming visitor trade It is known as the “iceberg capital of the world” but to the mayor of Ilulissat in northern Greenland, it is also a town divided where friends and neighbours have stopped talking to each other in a dispute over the cruise ships that bring tourists to see its frozen wonders. Its Unesco-listed icefjord draws thousands of visitors in the summer months, each potentially bringing lucrative business to the town. But frustrated local tour operators say they are being shut out by larger companies from elsewhere in Greenland and Denmark, who are undercutting local businesses or excluding them entirely – while local boats sit unused in the harbour. Ilulissat’s mayor, Lars Erik Gabrielsen, has called on residents to protest against the cruise ship arrivals with demonstrations and signs – drawing the ire of a minister in the territory’s government who has accused him of scaring off tourists. The community, he said, is divided between those who have chosen to work with Greenland Cruises, a Greenlandic-owned company based in Nuuk, and Danish company Vela Nordic, and those who have not. “We don’t even recognise ourselves,” said Gabrielsen. “We are not saying hello to each other because we are split.” If cruise ships stopped working with these two companies and Diskoline, a transport company owned by Topas Explorer Group, a Danish travel company, they would be supporting local taxpayers, he said. “It’s very awful. We are very sad. And our government cannot even understand us.” Greenland’s minister for business, Naaja Nathanielsen, condemned Gabrielsen’s call for action with a statement accusing him of “a very unfortunate mix of exercising authority and activism”. He was, she said, sending “a clear signal” to operators that they “risk being met with demonstrations arranged by the authorities”. Several cruise calls to the town had already been cancelled, she said, and several others were considering bypassing Ilulissat. A cruise ship was last year blocked from entering the port over claims it was only using foreign-owned tour providers. The dispute comes at a key time for the territory, where traditionally fishing has been the dominant industry but tourism is playing an increasingly important role as the Arctic ice melts. Tourism is also seen as an important economic component to securing independence from Denmark, which ruled Greenland as a colony until 1953 and still controls its foreign and security policy. US interest in Greenland is meanwhile soaring amid Donald Trump’s threats to acquire the territory, centred around both minerals investment and tourism. This summer saw the introduction of direct flights from New York to Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital, after the opening of a new international airport. An airport is also under construction in Ilullisat, due to open next year. Gabrielsen accused Nathanielsen of painting him and his allies as “bad people”, but said they simply want to ensure local involvement in the cruise industry. “We want to also be involved in tourism in the future, so that our children and grandchildren can see themselves in this growing industry,” he added. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion A tourism act was last year passed aimed at sustainable development of the sector and locally rooted tourism but Gabrielsen disputed it would make any difference. He instead proposes that Greenland should have a tourism agency run by municipalities and the industry so tasks and customers can be distributed more fairly. Tax law also needs changing to tackle the problem, he said. The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), which last year facilitated multiple meetings in Ilulissat with local stakeholders and operators, said it is “aware of the concerns raised in Ilulissat and understands that the frustration appears to be directed primarily at companies registered in Greenland.” A spokesperson added that the situation “appears to reflect local dynamics and differing views on how tourism should be managed.” Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, said: “We view the recent developments in Ilulissat with great concern, where local calls for protest against certain tourism operators have led to unrest and uncertainty. This not only affects our visitors but also disrupts the collaboration between those who contribute to creating jobs and income in the town.” Christian Keldsen, director of Greenland Business Association, said the dispute centres around differing definitions of “local”. “In the word of the law all the companies operating here are Greenlandic, although some may have owners that live abroad, for example in Denmark.” Diskoline said in a statement: ‘We believe there is room for both established and new operators, and that the growing number of visitors can support a diverse and vibrant local tourism sector. Our goal is to work collaboratively, with mutual respect and openness. “We also take pride in being a year-round employer in Greenland. Many of our employees are local, and we always prioritize hiring locally before seeking candidates from abroad, including Denmark.” Greenland Cruises declined to comment and Vela Nordic did not respond to requests. |