Greenland aims to encourage domestic tourism with latest aid package
With the summer tourism season looking grim, Greenland’s government has announced further financial assistance to help travel companies weather the coming months.
The latest aid package will see the government seeking to encourage domestic tourism by offering rebates on hotels and tours for tourists that decide to travel within Greenland.
“Several tourism companies are reporting that they are worried about the coming summer season,” said the Greenlandic government in a news release.
“They can see that they have received significantly fewer pre-season bookings. At the same time, the COVID-19 situation continues to affect the rest of the world, and the number of tourists who can – and will – travel on holiday to Greenland over the summer is estimated to be significantly fewer than under normal circumstances.”
Help through summer season
The new aid pacakge encourages hotels and tourism operators to offer COVID-19 discounts that the businesses could then reclaim from the government.
COVID-19 rebates for hotels will run up to 500 Danish kroner (approximately $100 CDN). Discounts for tours will run up to 300 Danish kroner (approximately $62 CDN).
“The coronavirus crisis is lasting longer and wider than originally anticipated,” said a joint statement from several Greenlandic organizations, including the Association of Fisherman and Hunters (KNAPK) and the Greenland Employers Association (NUSUKA), welcoming the new industry-specific package.
“We hear from the business community that the tourist industry in particular expects to be affected in the coming time. That is why we are pleased that we have helped to organize the new schemes that can help the tourist industry through the summer season.”
The new initiative will be in effect until September 30.
Write to Eilís Quinn at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Scrapped 2020 cruise season will cost communities in Nunavut, Canada almost $1 million, Eye On The Arctic
Finland: Finland joins other Nordic countries in virtual tourism due to pandemic, Yle News
Iceland: Iceland offers COVID-19 testing to international travellers starting June 15, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Norwegian Arctic wilderness tourism hit particularly hard by coronavirus, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: All Russia’s North Pole cruises rescheduled to 2021, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: Sweden seen as major source of COVID-19 in Western Finland region, Yle News
United States: Airline shutdown creates new challenges for rural Alaska, The Associated Press
