Greenland’s parliament has adopted a plan to upgrade or build airports to serve the massive North Atlantic island, keen to attract more tourists to its pristine Arctic wilderness.
Two airports — in the capital Nuuk and in the tourism centre Ilulissat — will be substantially upgraded, making it possible to fly directly to Greenland from Europe and North America.
A new national airport will be built in Qaqortoq in the south.
Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory. The plans have been controversial because of Copenhagen’s direct financial involvement.
The project is estimated to cost at least 3.6 billion kroner (482 million euros).
Almost 20 percent of the financing will be provided by Denmark, which contributes 3.6 billion kroner to the island’s annual budget.
Parliament adopted the proposal late Thursday with 18 out of 29 votes.
The three airports will serve the main population centres of the island, which is home to 55,000 people spread out across an area more than four times the size of France.
Construction of the airports is scheduled to be completed by 2023.
Source: The Local DK