Despite the malaise associated with climate change, some argue that in Polar Regions (e.g. Greenland and Northern Canada), the upswing in ocean temperatures can be deemed positive because it presents the opportunity for introducing new economic activities. In the case of Greenland, Motzfeldt (quoted in Nutall 2008: 46) has argued that though hunting activities may be negatively affected because of ice melting in coastal region, conditions are favorable for activities such as fishing or tourism. This paper is a case study of the development in tourism policy. In this paper we focus on the tourism sector, the tourism policy and networks between public and private actors. We argue that the tourism sector is introduced as a substitute to traditional activities. The case allows us to observe the tourism policy formulation process in the absence of any networks governance structures. Based on qualitative data gleaned from interviews with stakeholders, we flesh out the determinants of policy network formation and how they play out in the Arctic ultraperiphery, in an area heavily dependent on Denmark for political know-how and governance.