Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland, has a new international airport. Equipped with a 2,200-meter (7,217-ft) runway, the airport will allow larger planes to land in the region, connecting it with the rest of the world, CNN reported.
On average, 130,000 visitors come to Greenland every year on cruise ships or planes. The number is expected to increase with the country’s tourism sector opening up. But officials hope it doesn’t become too unwieldy.
Greenland’s tourism sector and economy are expected to grow with the inauguration of the new airport.
Jens Lauridsen, chief executive of Greenland Airports, estimated that each flight will add $200,000 to the nation’s economy. Those arriving in Greenland should know they are not in for a standard tourism experience, he said.
“We’re located in the Arctic,” Lauridsen said, adding that visitors will be in for an “adventure”.
Starting in June, United Airlines will offer nonstop seasonal flights to the region from major cities such as Newark and New Jersey, and the journey will take a little over four hours only.
Before the new airport, people who wished to travel to Greenland by air had to fly into smaller cities like Kangerlussuaq to the north or Narsarsuaq.
The US military bases, built there during the Second World War, are capable of accommodating larger planes.
The new airport will now serve as the base for Air Greenland, which will operate Airbus A330neo planes to Copenhagen, Denmark. This will allow the airline to handle 800 passengers an hour. There will also be flights linking Nuuk to Reykjavik, Iceland.
By 2026 end, two more airports are scheduled to be inaugurated in Greenland. These will connect Ilulissat in the north and Qaqortoq in the south.
With only around 56 miles (90 kilometres) of paved roads, locals and tourists in Greenland will still be required to fly or take boats to reach their desired destinations, while these airports will significantly open up travel.
