From Colonialism to Tourism: An Analysis of Cruise Ship Tourism in Ittoqqortoormiit, East Greenland

• Main Author: Marianna Leoni 1986-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Ferðamálafræði; Ferðaþjónusta; Grænland; Scoresbysund (Austur-Grænland); Nýlendustefna; Loftslagsbreytingar; Greenland; Sund; Scoresby; Scoresby Sund; Ittoqqortoormiit; Spanna; East Greenland; Scoresbysund
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/33366

This work aims to provide an analysis of tourism development in Ittoqqortoormiit, East Greenland, in the face of climate change and from a postcolonial point of view. The thesis is built on fieldwork supported by theoretical review of literature, spanning from tourism studies, geography, anthropology, sociology, and natural sciences. The discussion will focus on how tourism development in Ittoqqortoormiit has been facilitated by climate change and its discourse, especially in terms of construction of its image as a tourist destination. The images of Greenland and Scoresby Sund hold an important role in the discussion, and will, therefore, be analysed in detail, regarding both the tourism industry and visiting tourists. The colonial history of Scoresby Sund will be addressed as a continuum with tourist encounters, arguing that the power inequalities and distorted images of place are direct consequences of postcolonial heritage. Postcolonial and indigenous tourism studies literature will be used to support the observations and the findings of the fieldwork, in order to provide a clear picture of the nature of the host/guest encounters and the elements that contribute to maintain or renegotiate inequalities. The impacts of tourism in the area will also be addressed and discussed, with considerations on the environment, the economy, and the society, with a special focus on marine traffic and its impacts on marine mammals and hunting activities. The role of Denmark in creating the circumstances for colonialism and postcolonialism in East Greenland is strictly connected to future developments and scenarios, both of which will be discussed as well, although in hypothetical terms. Þessi rannsókn miðar að því að greina þróun ferðaþjónustu í Ittoqqortoormiit, Austur-Grænlandi, á tímum loftslagsbreytinga og frá sjónarhorni síðnýlendustefnu. Ritgerðin byggirá mannfræðilegri vettvangsrannsókn sem studd er athugun fræðilegra rita sem spanna allt frá ferðamálafræðirannsóknum, landafræði, mannfræði, samfélagsfræði og ...