A temporary ban on alcohol sales and serving is in force across Kommune Kujalleq in South Greenland. Greenland’s government introduced the restrictions on October 2 at the municipal council’s request, citing children’s welfare and public safety following fatal incidents that authorities linked to alcohol.
For tourists and business travelers arriving through Qaqortoq’s new airport, which opened on April 16, 2026, the restrictions are important to understand before arrival. The airport provides access to Qaqortoq and onward connections to communities including Narsaq and Nanortalik. Whether visitors are staying in Qaqortoq or continuing elsewhere within Kommune Kujalleq, the same alcohol restrictions apply.
The measure affects a municipality of just over 6,000 people, spread across three towns and 11 settlements. Nine of those settlements have fewer than 100 residents, a scale that helps explain why serious incidents can have such a wide impact on local families and communities.
Where does the ban apply?
The order covers every locality in Kommune Kujalleq, including Qaqortoq, Narsaq and Nanortalik and the municipality’s smaller settlements. Nuuk and Ilulissat are outside its scope.
Statistics Greenland’s January 1, 2026 population figures show the size of each affected community:
| Community | Type | Residents |
|---|---|---|
| Qaqortoq | Town | 3,081 |
| Narsaq | Town | 1,241 |
| Nanortalik | Town | 1,088 |
| Narsarsuaq | Settlement | 139 |
| Alluitsup Paa | Settlement | 135 |
| Aappilattoq | Settlement | 81 |
| Qassiarsuk | Settlement | 69 |
| Eqalugaarsuit | Settlement | 68 |
| Narsarmijit | Settlement | 57 |
| Tasiusaq | Settlement | 37 |
| Igaliku | Settlement | 31 |
| Ammassivik | Settlement | 23 |
| Saarloq | Settlement | 23 |
| Qassimiut | Settlement | 10 |
Source: Statistics Greenland, StatBank table BEESTD. Six additional residents recorded without a specified locality in Nanortalik district bring the municipal total to 6,089.
The 11 settlements together account for 673 residents. Nine have fewer than 100 people, and five have fewer than 40. Statistics Greenland now includes sheep-farming households within their registered localities rather than reporting them separately.
These figures help put the decision into perspective. In a community of a few dozen people, a serious incident can touch a substantial share of families and neighbors.
Why was the ban introduced?
The government’s stated purpose is to protect children and public safety. Mayor Malene Vahl Rasmussen told KNR that recent serious incidents, including the killing of a 37 year old man in Nanortalik, contributed to the decision.
The municipality’s population includes 1,329 children aged 0–16, approximately 22% of all residents, as well as 948 people aged 65 or older. These are communities where the effects of harmful drinking extend beyond the people consuming alcohol.
What is prohibited?
Executive Order No. 40 prohibits selling and serving drinks containing 2.25% alcohol by volume or more. Violations can result in fines. Sermitsiaq reported that licensed businesses were instructed to stop sales and serving at 8 p.m. on Friday, October 2.
Police have also told KNR that private alcohol sales are prohibited. Buying from a private seller is therefore not an authorized alternative to purchasing from a shop or bar.
What does this mean for tourists and business travelers?
The published order contains no exemption for foreign visitors, hotel guests or business travelers. Visitors should therefore expect the restrictions on sales and serving to apply to them.
The order addresses sales and serving; it does not separately specify a prohibition on possessing alcohol or bringing it in personal luggage. It also lists no airport or duty-free exemption. Those distinctions should not be treated as confirmation of what travelers may bring or consume.
GreenlandEnergy.com has requested clarification from the municipality and Greenland Airports about the implications for overseas visitors, including sales and serving at Qaqortoq Airport.
Update: Greenland Airports confirmed to GreenlandEnergy.com that passengers at Qaqortoq Airport currently have access to self-service refreshments, with no alcohol available to purchase.
“There are, therefore, no existing alcohol sales or serving activities at the airport to suspend,” the operator said.
The operator referred questions about alcohol purchased elsewhere or carried in passengers’ luggage to the relevant authorities. It could not yet confirm whether a separate English-language notice or guidance to airlines and travel agents would be issued.
How are local businesses responding?
Restaurant owners have criticized the lack of advance consultation and the financial impact. Jim Riis, owner of Arctic Cafe in Qaqortoq, told Sermitsiaq that businesses wanted to participate in finding solutions but considered the blanket restrictions too broad.
The mayor acknowledged the frustration while maintaining that protecting children and families required immediate action.
When will alcohol sales resume?
No fixed reopening date has been announced. The government’s notice says the restrictions will remain until the order is repealed.
The municipality has described the ban as an initial intervention, with treatment, prevention and public dialogue needed alongside it. On October 7, the mayor told Sermitsiaq that work with the health department included concrete measures and a gradual reopening of alcohol sales. A timetable had not been provided.
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