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'LAST-CHANCE TOURISM' AT A COST
The Straits Times
|December 10, 2024
A frozen landscape with breathtaking views, Greenland wants to attract more tourists, but its remote location and fragile environment - which make it a unique destination - also pose challenges.
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"The effects of global heating are at their most pronounced in the Arctic," said professor and tourism expert Michael Hall at University of Canterbury.
Global warming is accelerating "the loss of Arctic sea ice in summer", as well as "the melting of permafrost, ice shelves and glaciers", he added, referring to elements that contribute to the island's uniqueness.
Across Greenland, locals are witnessing first-hand the effects of global warming.
On the south-western coast, in Maniitsoq, the sea ice has not been solid enough to walk on since 2018.
Residents have also seen it shrink from year to year, in addition to less abundant snowfall.
Tourists are nonetheless awestruck by the vistas. "It's terra incognita," said Ms Amy Yankovic, a 55-year-old American tourist.
The Texan native travelled for almost 24 hours to get to Greenland, taking three connecting flights.
This story is from the December 10, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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