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sector (Rambøll 2014: 40-52). The report was meant to inform an ongoing debate on how many mines
and mega industrial projects Greenland should tolerate in the future. Tourism in this context was
turned into a strategic tool to achieve a more sustainable future for Greenland with permanent local
jobs and development (Rambøll 2014: 5-7). In other words, despite challenges in the management,
infrastructure and legal framework in tourism (National Turismestrategi 2013), investments in the
tourism sector was framed in this logic as opposed to investments in mining (Bjørst & Ren 2015). The
Greenlandic politicians seem to be most keen on improving the infrastructure, and tourism is used as
the key driver for arguments about new runways and ports but an investment in tourism is needed
and has been needed for many years, especially in the south of Greenland.
Following the debate at the former and this year’s Future Greenland Conference, it is a paradox, that
arguing for a megaproject is imagined to be the only way of getting regional development. While
planning for the big project everything else was a secondary priority. This might change now. At the
Future Greenland 2015 Conference there was a feeling of anticlimax and disappointment after the
prices of minerals and oil declined. Everybody is now looking for new possibilities in other sectors. A
new Greenlandic tourism strategy is being developed at the moment and hopefully supported
financially by all parties. Without resources, local capacity building, innovation and entrepreneurship,
to reach out to mass tourism could be fixing one ‘problem’ with just another one. More rehearsal with
“small scale” projects is needed.
With the preparation for the Arctic Winter Games 2016, all the important elements for innovation,
logistic sand capacity building for the future of Greenland can be tried out as part of a tourism related
real life event.
Notes
1. Read more about Future Greenland: http://www.futuregreenland.gl/.
References
Holmsgaard, Erik (2015). ”Qujaukitsoq: Vækst, beskæftigelse og udvikli ng”. Aurora, Grønlands
Erhvers medlemsblad, nr. 24. Maj 2015: 16- 18.
National turismestrategi (2013). 2012-2015. The Government of Greenland, Nuuk 2012: 1-20
Bjørst & Ren (2015) Steaming up or staying cool? Climate change and tourism development in the
Arctic. Arctic Anthropology. (in press)
Rambøll Rapport (2014): ”Hvor skal udviklingen komme fra? Potentialer og faldgrupper i den
grønlandske erhvervssektor frem mod 2015”. Rambøll Marts 2014.
Future Greenland 2015