In Greenland, some are hoping that tourism growth will strengthen the economy and allow further autonomy from Denmark. Across the vast territory, more than 80 percent of which is covered with ice, landscapes are untouched. In 2023, the country attracted some 100,000 tourists, mainly interested in outdoor activities. "I would like more tourists to come because I can see it's good for the local community," says sailor Michael. A spokesperson for the Arctic Circle organisation, Taatsi Fleischer, however believes that a "boom is hard to imagine because it has to do with the infrastructure also." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES