TTO_September_2017_low

Jørgen S. Bay-Kastrup, CEO, Hotel Hans Egede, Nuuk:
We don’t want
“A shot in the foot.”
‘Facilitated by Sermersooq Business/
Colourful Nuuk the tourist industry in
Nuuk has had another and increasing
focus on sale and marketing within the
last couple of years. Also including FAM
trips hosted and arranged by local actors,
and the result is visible.
Every year we see new tour operator
bringing guests to Nuuk, and the
number of guests is also
increasing.
But we still keep our
summer prices low. We
will wait to the growth
has well anchored,
before we look upon
rates. Otherwise it is "A
shot in the foot’’, says
Jørgen Bay-Kastrup,
CEO, Hotel Hans Egede
in Nuuk, Greenland.
With 156 rooms the
four-star hotel Hans
Egede named after Hans
Egede is the largest hotel
in Nuuk. The hotel is
located on the main street, Aqqusinersuaq.
There are two restaurants in the hotel and
one bar, the Skyline Bar, which is located
on the top storey and which has a view
over Nuuk.
The hotel can accommodate conferences
of up to 350 people.
10 million Euros
“After more than two years of expansion
and renovation the hotel for more than €
10 million, it's time to take a little breath
making the 'new' hotel works and finding
the ways of the optimize it,” says Jørgen
Bay-Kastrup.
“Next summer it's time to look at the
meeting and banquet rooms on the fifth
floor for a brush up.
The new conference facilities have been
very well acknowledged by our customers
and guests showing that Carl Juhl and
Helge Tang, owners of the hotel, made the
right decisions some five years ago seeing
the new market and possibilities.
We see a significant growth in our
conference business and that is only due to
the expansion. Also our high technology
for video meetings gives us advantages.
Air condition in the new meeting rooms
gives us a plus on the score board, too.
However it’s still a long run to get more
After more than two years of expansion and renovation for
more than € 10 million, Hotel Hans Egede takes a break before
new renovation next summer.
international MICE
activities as going to
Greenland cost you almost
two extra days of travel. But
we see increasing interest.
To strengthen our efforts
on the MICE market, we
had a cooperation with
Arctic Hotel, Ilulissat at the
‘’Møde og Event Messen’’ in
March in Copenhagen, and
it is keen for us to keep this
cooperation to be even more
visible in a tough market,”
says Jørgen Bay-Kastrup.
Water Taxi
“Internet is extremely expensive in
Greenland, but nevertheless we decided to
make Wi-Fi free for all hotel guests giving
the hotel a better position in the market. It
has been very well accepted.
To be even better to supply the visitors
with more experiences I’m very pleased to
welcome Nuuk Water Taxi as a new local
operator, showing that people outside
Nuuk also believe in future growth.”
“How does the future look like for Hotel
Hans Egede?
“It’s now almost 30 years ago when Helge
Tang and Carl Juhl opened the hotel with
approx. 90 rooms. Noon of them is getting
any younger, in fact Carl has passed the 70
and Helge is getting closer to, so of course
the two owners consider what the future
will bring,” says Jørgen Bay-Kastrup.
New Airport
“A new airport in Nuuk will be a game
change. We expect a significant growth
in tourism the day the new airport opens,
to Nuuk, to all of Greenland and to the
hotel.
Currently, Nuuk Airport's runway is 900
meters long. The new airport is scheduled
to have a runway of 2199 meters. This
“It’s still a long run to get more international MICE activities as
going to Greenland cost you almost two extra days of travel. But
we see increasing interest,” says Jørgen Bay-Kastrup, CEO, Hotel
Hans Egede in Nuuk, Greenland.
means that even large aircraft, including
Airbus 330, can land in Nuuk.
The new airport in Nuuk is scheduled for
2021 - 2022. Everyone is waiting for the
new airport.
The sooner the better,” says Jørgen Bay-
Kastrup.
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