Tourism & Quality of Life in Greenland:Exploration through farm stays in South Greenlandic settlements

• Main Authors: Steenholdt, Naja Carina, Chimirri, Daniela
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Greenland; Quality of Life (QOL); Social Indicator; Tourism; Farm Stays; Arctic; greenlandic
• Online Access: https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/ec5ca65a-e1a2-4792-9beb-f67e3705750e; https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/files/292717116/7_AY2018_Steenholdt.pdf; https://arcticyearbook.com/images/yearbook/2018/Scholarly_Papers/7_AY2018_Steenholdt.pdf

Studies of how the development of industries impacts resident quality of life in Greenland have largely focused on fisheries and mining neglecting the emerging tourism industry in the country. In this article, we aim to contribute to the eduction of this gap within academia and praxis by exploring how the developing tourism industry in South Greenland interrelates with resident quality of life in this area. Based on the lack of existing academic literature and public awareness within tourism and quality of life in South Greenland, we investigate the relevance of the tourism industry, specifically farm tourism, effect on resident quality of life. Through a small-scale exploratory case study of farm stays in South Greenlandic settlements, we aim to create an understanding of how resident quality of life and farm tourism interrelates. By applying the bottom-up spillover theory as theoretical frame, we investigate whether generated income from farm tourism can contribute to people’s state of wellbeing, but also that there is more to wellbeing than “just” money. Based on generated data, our study concludes that there is a close interrelation between farm tourism and resident QoL in South Greenland. Subsequently, we argue that there are relevant grounds in a larger perspective for further research within the field of tourism and QoL in Greenland.