Matador Network Readers' Choice Awards 2024: Next Big Destination

10.12.2024 - 21:45 / matadornetwork.com

See the full list of the 2024 Matador Network Travel Awards winners here.

It’s no secret that some of the world’s most popular destinations are suffering from overcrowding, and it seems like more and more cities and countries around the world are introducing tourist taxes and cruise ship bans. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that when the Matador Network audience was asked what the Next Big Destination was for the 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, the majority, nearly a quarter of voters, opted for somewhere actually welcoming more visitors: Greenland, the world’s biggest island and an autonomous territory of Denmark that mostly operates independently.

There’s plenty to do across Greenland’s reaches, so you’ll have to narrow down what you want to see (unless you have several months available to travel). But no matter where you go, there’s one thing you’re guaranteed to find: space, and lots of it. In 2024, Greenland’s population was approximately 55,800. For comparison, Wyoming is the least-populated state in the United States and has 10 times that many people. Greenland covers 836,300 square miles, making it more than eight times larger than Wyoming.

Photo: Kertu/Shutterstock

That personal space to roam influences everything Greenland offers to tourists. Greenland’s historic and current cultural traditions are shaped by the isolated landscape. There are national costumes for men and women, and the styles date back to when Vikings first arrived. Today, the costumes are worn on special occasions, including every child’s first day of school. Authentic cultural activities led by Indigenous business owners, including ice fishing and dog sledding, are readily available, especially around the capital city of Nuuk.

Dog-sledding is a time-honored tradition, and one that still serves as a mode of transportation between some of the northern part of the country’s remote towns during winter. That means travelers can experience dog-sledding how it used to be, complete with seal-skin clothing to stay warm and routes that run along glaciers and across frozen rivers.

Photo: muratart/Shutterstock

Speaking of glaciers, most of the world-class adventures awaiting in the territory are set against the backdrop of truly jaw-dropping scenery. Greenland’s terrain is primarily a vast, flat ice sheet that covers about 80 percent of the island, surrounded by mountainous, rocky coastline. The center has wildly dramatic landscapes where coastal cliffs, fjords, and ice sheets meet the ocean. Adventurous travelers can book activities like multi-day paddle trips on impossibly blue glacial rivers, or travel to the northernmost city in the world to see Easter-egg colored buildings set against a snowy backdrop. Qaanaaq is a place where