Cruiseships will increase tourism
SHIPPING: The Greenland air company Air Greenland is in negotiation with American companies on employing more cruiseships in Greenland. This will increase cruise tourism further after Greenland reached almost 47,000 cruise tourists last year.
"We are negotiating with a series of American companies at the moment on employing one or two new cruiseships in Greenland", says CEO of Air Greenland Michael Binzer to business.dk
According to a report from Air Greenland, Greenland had last year 47,000 cruise tourists, whereas there were 164 calls of 18 cruisers in 2003 with approx. 9,600 passengers.
Every cruise guest pays a passenger fee of DKK 525 to Greenland's Home rule, similar to that in Alaska. In addition, shops' income in port cities from luxury tourists will benefit business in Greenland.
"If we get two new cruiseliners in Greenland, the shipping companies will to be able to begin services until 2012, as they plan 3 or 4 years ahead", says CEO Michael Binzer from Air Greenland to the newspaper.
The Norwegian company Hurtigruten has already agreed with Air Greenland to make a joint marketing campaign, which will attract attention to Greenland as tourist destination from around the world.
Hurtigruten's ship 'Fram' holds 250 passengers and has carried tourists for several years on the service between Kangerlussuaq in west Greenland and Qaanaaq in northern Greenland from May to September.
Source: maritimedanmark.dk
