Greenland tourism report for 2025 shows an overall increase in visitors; the total number is the highest yet, and 2026 is predicted to surpass it. Icelandic tourism data also showed increase in 2025 compared to the previous years but currently predicts a lower figure for 2026.  

Greenlandic tourism: historic high, fueled by European visitors  

Greenland tourism statistics released their 2025 report in June 2026. According to the document, counting both airport arrivals and cruise ship visits, over 179 thousand people visited the world’s largest island last year, an 8 percent increase compared to 2024. Compared to 56 thousand residents of Greenland, it is quite a large number. Tourism in Greenland has been steadily booming since the COVID-19 pandemic, and current statistics have even surpassed pre-COVID numbers. There has been an increase in passengers coming by air travel, mainly thanks to the new airport built in Qaqortoq in Southern Greenland. Comparatively, the number of cruise ship visitors slightly decreased. 

According to Travel and Tour World, 2026 is predicted to be an even busier year than 2025. It is European visitors that come in the highest numbers, obviously led by Denmark and followed by the largest non-Nordic market, Germany. The growth is explained by the various attractions Greenland has to offer in different parts of the year, from aurora tours in the winter under skies with less light pollution, to a cool reprieve from scorching summers. 

Icelandic tourism: searching for sustainability in popularity 

While Greenlandic tourism is experiencing its highest high only now, Iceland had the highest number of visitors to date back in 2018, which was over 2,3 million arrivals via airports. The 2025 number is however only slightly lower, at 2,26 million, showing good recovery from the COVID years. For a country with just under 400 thousand inhabitants, the number of tourists is astounding. Compared to last year, 2026 is predicted to amount to a slightly lower number of tourists, with projections around 2,24 million. While in Greenland it is Europeans who amount to the largest number of tourists, in Iceland the top spot is solidly occupied by visitors from the United States.  

According to Forbes, Iceland’s strategy about tourism has changed in recent years. It is no longer focused on attracting as many people as possible, having firmly cemented its place as an adventure and experience destination. Rather, now the priorities are to show the Iceland beyond the most obvious tourist spots, promote Iceland’s culture as well as nature, and to protect the popular sites from damage caused by overtourism.  

Sources: Greenlandic Tourism statistics report for 2025, Travel and Tour World, Forbes  

Read more: Full Greenlandic Tourism statistics report: https://tourismstat.gl/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Tourism-Statistics-Report-2025.pdf   

Read More: Full Icelandic Tourism statistics report: https://icelanddata.is/yearly-stats  

See our maps of Iceland and Greenland