The Board of Qeqertalik Business Council held a thematic meeting in Aasiaat and Qasigiannguit on 8–9 September.

The weather meant that the programme had to be adjusted along the way, and some planned activities had to be cancelled. Despite these changes, we managed to complete a productive and informative thematic meeting, combining the Board’s own discussions with visits to local businesses and insight into concrete development opportunities.

At Qasigiannguit Museum, the Board received a presentation on The Living Village – from the project’s inception to its current situation and potential for further development. The project is carried out in collaboration between the museum and a local association, helping to bring the settlement to life and share our history and culture.

Qasigiannguit Tourism & Charter provided the boat transfer between Aasiaat and Qasigiannguit and also took us on a tour of the surrounding area, including Akulliit. Along the way, the Board had the opportunity to learn about the company’s projects, experiences and plans for the future.

Mikami coordinated the activities in Qasigiannguit and arranged the various visits. We had the opportunity to sample some of the local delicacies offered to guests as part of a kaffemik. We also visited some of the company’s accommodation facilities and heard about plans for further development.

The visit also provided practical insight into how local businesses can work together to create tailored programmes for visitors to the town, including cruise passengers, bringing transport, accommodation, culture, local culinary experiences and activities together.

For transport between activities, we also used the newly established local car rental company Laaja – another example of a new service that can contribute to the overall offering for visitors to the town.

The thematic meeting was therefore not only about the Board’s own discussions, but also about getting closer to the businesses and initiatives that will help drive local development.

Now it is time to build on these opportunities. We will use the experiences from the visit to strengthen collaboration between local businesses, support the development of new products and experiences, and work to ensure that more visitors have the opportunity to experience Qasigiannguit and the rest of Qeqertalik.

One concrete focus will be supporting local businesses in developing and offering comprehensive, tailored programmes, so that tourism can create even more local activity and revenue for a wider range of businesses.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed us and helped make the programme a success – even when the weather required a little extra flexibility. We will now follow up on the opportunities and ideas we took with us from the visit.