Greenland still ‘very much on sale’ despite uncertainty, say expedition cruise operators

Expedition cruise operators maintain it is “business as usual” in Greenland despite uncertainty over the island’s future following comments by US president Donald Trump.

Earlier this week the White House said it was “actively discussing” the potential of acquiring Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and did not rule out military action.

Expedition specialists active in the region have said they are “monitoring the situation” but that operations and future bookings have been unaffected.

Many operators offer itineraries in Greenland, with some combining Iceland and the Arctic, and several have upped their investment in the new international airport in capital Nuuk, opened in November 2024.

Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) chief executive Akvile Marozaite said Greenland remains “one of the most in-demand expedition cruise destinations” in its latest Industry Insights report, which compiled data from its 30 operator and 2,400 agent members.

Marozaite said: “While the wider geopolitical context has prompted some conversations, our members are not seeing any significant increase in trade or consumer concern, and there has been no operational disruption to Greenland itineraries.

“In fact, bookings remain strong across several operators, with one expedition cruise line citing Greenland as its second-most popular destination after Antarctica.”

She stressed Greenland “continues to be a stable destination for tourism”, adding: “At this time, Greenland remains open, accessible, and very much on sale and performing well across our membership.”

A HX Expeditions spokesperson said: “Travel to Greenland continues as normal, and HX Expeditions’ operations in the region are unaffected.

“Greenland remains a peaceful, welcoming destination with a strong focus on sustainable tourism and cultural exchange.

“We are continuing our planned voyages for summer/autumn 2026 as scheduled and look forward to sharing the region’s extraordinary landscapes, wildlife and communities with our guests.”

A Swan Hellenic spokesperson said: “The situation is still evolving, and we are closely monitoring developments. In the meantime, we will continue to focus on our business operations as usual.”