Air Greenland has entered into an agreement to acquire Hotel Hans Egede A/S, which operates Hotel Hans Egede, HHE Express and Nuuk Hotel Apartments by HHE. The purpose is to strengthen access to hotel capacity in Nuuk, increase resilience during operational disruptions and support Greenland’s development as a destination. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

The acquisition comes against the backdrop of the significant development currently taking place in Nuuk and Greenland. New international air connections, growing tourism and increased business activity have created a rising need for stable hotel capacity. With the agreement, Air Greenland aims to create a stronger foundation for travel to and from Greenland, enabling the company to be better prepared for both international growth and periods of operational disruption. At the same time, the acquisition is intended to ensure that Hotel Hans Egede continues to contribute to value creation in Greenland, as the company has done since its establishment.

The sale also marks the end of almost four decades of family ownership of one of Greenland’s most prominent hotel companies.

Hotel Hans Egede was established in 1987 by Helge Tang and Carl Juhl, with the ambition of creating a hotel that could support the development of Nuuk as Greenland’s capital. Since then, the company has grown alongside the city and the tourism sector and today also includes HHE Express and Nuuk Hotel Apartments.

Recent years have been among the strongest in the company’s history, driven by the opening of the international airport in Nuuk, increased international interest in Greenland and targeted commercial development. Both the family and Air Greenland therefore consider this to be the right time to take the company forward into a new phase of development.

Chairman of the Board Helge Tang sees the sale as the end of a long working life and the beginning of a new chapter for the company.

“It has been a privilege to help build Hotel Hans Egede over almost four decades. Together with Carl Juhl, we created the foundation for the company, but no company is stronger than the people who drive it forward every day. I therefore owe a great debt of thanks to our employees and to our CEO, Jørgen S. Bay-Kastrup, who since 2014 has been an absolutely decisive driving force in the company’s development. I am proud of what we have created together, and I feel that the company is stronger than ever.”

Hotel Hans Egede stands on a strong foundation created by loyal employees, stable leadership and targeted commercial development. Several employees have been part of the company for many years, and together with CEO Jørgen S. Bay-Kastrup they have helped shape the culture and position the company has today.

Christian Loiborg Tang has been part of the company’s management in recent years and has played a central role in its commercial development.

For the owners, it has been crucial that the company is taken forward with local roots and respect for its importance to Nuuk and Greenland.

“Hotel Hans Egede has been a major part of our family’s life for almost four decades. That is why this is also a decision we have made with great care. We are proud of the company, the culture and the sense of community that employees, management and partners have helped create over many years. Precisely for that reason, it has been important to us that the company is taken forward with local roots and respect for its importance to Nuuk and Greenland.”

“We have spent considerable time reflecting on the company’s future and have concluded that Air Greenland is the right owner to take Hotel Hans Egede into its next phase. At the same time, the sale gives our family the opportunity to focus on the other companies and development projects we are working on.”

Until the transaction has been approved by the relevant authorities, Air Greenland and Hotel Hans Egede A/S will continue as separate companies with unchanged operations.

Air Greenland emphasises that Hotel Hans Egede will continue to be run as an independent commercial company on ordinary market terms. The group already has experience in the hotel sector through Arctic Hospitality Group, which operates Hotel Arctic in Ilulissat, Ilimanaq Lodge and the cabins at Eqi Glacier Lodge.