This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Casper Frank Møller, 28, the CEO and cofounder of Raw Arctic, a tourism business based in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. It has been edited for length and clarity.
About three and a half years ago, my friend Isak and I traveled along the west coast of Greenland to explore. We both love spending time outdoors — Isak is an expert in Arctic hiking and hunting, and I love fly fishing.
We’re also outgoing, and wherever we went, people seeking tourist opportunities would ask us if we wanted to be their guides. That made us realize there was a gap in the market for adventure tours that we really wanted to exploit.
In 2024, we, along with our third cofounder, established our company, Raw Arctic.
There are a lot of different tourist companies in Greenland. It’s actually a highly competitive market, and you have to find a way to differentiate yourself.
We decided to go with more expensive, tailor-made tours for adventure-seeking clientele who want to explore the entirety of Greenland.
For example, we’ve had customers who charter a helicopter for multiple days and go skiing in the mountains, spending upward of 20,000 pounds (about $26,000) a day.
When Trump resurfaced the topic of taking Greenland in early 2025, we saw a rapid surge of interest in tourists wanting to visit. The attention was really good for business in the beginning because it put us on the world map and into people’s subconscious.
However, this entire situation with the US has raised more concerns because of what we saw in Venezuela. There’s way more power behind Trump’s words, which has created concerns not only among people in Greenland but the world order.
Geopolitical issues usually have big consequences for tourism in general and for how people spend their money, and we’re seeing that at Raw Arctic.
It’s expensive to visit Greenland. Most people aren’t booking a quick weekend getaway here, though some do. You can only reach the different cities by sea or by air. It costs at least 200 pounds ($270) per hour just to charter a small boat — though you can reduce the cost per ticket with a larger group — and it takes a lot of time to go from one place to the next.
Some folks are spending their savings on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to come here. So when there’s geopolitical instability, people become more conservative with their money. That’s not unique to Greenland, but we feel it very directly right now.
Since the US raid on Venezuela, we’ve had a lot of people — about 20 to 30 — on standby, saying they’re going to wait this out before they make a final decision.
One of our core missions
At the same time, we’ve continued to grow the business. We’ve been able to invest in new boats, marketing, and digital solutions.
We’ve also expanded beyond being just an operator, running tours directly. We work as an agent across Greenland, partnering with dozens of local guides and operators in smaller coastal settlements.
That part is important to us. Tourism shouldn’t be centralized in the capital. The people who live in these remote areas are the best at showing off their regions, their nature, and their way of life. Giving them a voice and an opportunity is one of our core missions.
For me personally, the situation with the US has been a mix of feelings. I’m a relatively young guy, and this is my future. It’s my time at stake.
Of course, I get concerned about the state of things, but there’s some logical part of me that feels secure that the US won’t acquire us because it’s too big a risk to national relations.
I’m seeing a less polarized Greenland now
About a year ago, I saw a more polarized Greenland with the general elections — one part of Greenland wanted to cut ties with Denmark and achieve rapid independence, and another wanted to stay with Denmark and achieve independence more slowly.
When we talk about independence, there are two parts to it. There’s one about cultural independence. I think that’s what we’re achieving at the moment as a people, and that’s what the last year has really pushed.
Then there’s the economic part. We get about 4 billion Danish crowns ($628 million) a year from the Danish block grant, which stabilizes the Greenlandic economy. I think the economic situation would look different if ties were cut immediately.
What I’m now seeing with Trump’s interest in the island is a less polarized Greenland. We don’t want to be American. We don’t want to be Danish. We want to be Greenlandic. The question is just, when should we cut the ties?
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