Arctic Yearbook 2014 | Page 249

249 Arctic Yearbook 2014   mine of Maarmorilik, fishing in the fjord, offering Kaffemik, the traditional Greenlandic coffee and cake meeting. For this purpose, the tourist committee works on a tourism development plan consisting of a list of attractions and on how to get tourists there. Findings The salient aspect, which came out from all the interviews11 is that the village wants to do its development at its own pace. They want to keep the control over the resource and its development. They want to decide the kind of development that is suitable for the size and the structure of the village. In Ukkusissat there is good cooperation among the residents and between the different institutions.12 Interviewees declared to have many ideas for future tourism development, from making a web page to considering buying a boat for tourist tours. However, the tourists, predominantly cruise tourists, stay only for three hours, and not very often does anybody else come to Ukkusissat.13 The village won an initiation prize from the Home Rule Government in 2003 for tourism initiatives. Ukkusissat showed, as interviewees proudly declared, that they did not need money to start and were able to give a good service.14 NARSAQ Region (South Greenland)15 The Southern part of Greenland - which includes Narsaq - is the most diverse region in Greenland, rich in natural, historical, and cultural attractions. The Narsaq area (2,076 inhabitants in 2001) is the farmers’ region in the South of Greenland.16 Forms of rural tourist activities started in the area during the 1960s. Tourists - mostly hikers with limited travel budgets - adventured there in order to experience the beauties of the landscape, and enjoy contact with the local population, staying by the sheep farmers who provided plain accommodation and facilities. Tourism became very popular and seemed, during the 1970s and 1980s, to be a growing activity. From the tourism point of view, South Greenland is known as the area of the sheep farms17, Norse and Inuit ruins, tiny villages and great scenery. The major tourist season is the summer season, from the beginning of July to the end of September. During the 1970s and the 1980s, the Danish Hikers Organisation (Dansk Vandrelaug) in South Greenland was quite active in organising outdoor recreational activities such as trekking and hiking. Sheep farmers offered houses or cabins and provided facilities for the hikers. This kind of accommodation became very popular in many ways for both tourists and the local population, as the unique experience was possible without high expenses. It also gave way to close contacts with the relatively unknown local population. Besides offering the accommodation, there was a possibility to sell souvenirs, such as carved and sewed items, and sell local products like fresh lamb meat, which generated supplementary income for the inhabitants. Tourism, Human Capital & Regional Development in Three Communities in Greenland