SHARE
COPY LINK

TOURISM

Who visits Denmark in summer and where do the tourists go?

Tourism in Denmark is still rebounding after the bottom fell out in 2020. But which kind of tourists come to Denmark in the summer? Where are they from and where do they go?

Who visits Denmark in summer and where do the tourists go?
Every day in Copenhagen's scenic Nyhavn, sightseers line up for boat tours of the canals. But where are these tourists from? Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix

The Local scoured data from Tourism Denmark to learn who it is asking for directions in Copenhagen and hogging beach space on Danish shores. 

Overwhelmingly, it’s Danes that visit Denmark — two thirds of all overnight tourism in 2021 was from Danes spending their holidays in other parts of their own country. 

But as for foreign tourism, Denmark’s neighbours to the south take the lion’s share. Germans spent more than 13.2 million overnight visits in Denmark in 2021. 

Next up is the Netherlands, which sent more than 717,000 overnight guests to Denmark. Swedes and Norwegians spent 604,000 and 412,00 overnight stays in Denmark, respectively, while the UK and the US both contributed about 200,000 stays. 

Country of Origin  Overnight visitors to Denmark in 2021
1. Germany 13.2 million
2. The Netherlands 717,900
3. Sweden 604,000
4. Norway 412,600
5. The United Kingdom 208,900
6. United States 199,300
7. France 164,100
8. Italy 161,500
9. India 18,100
10. China 14,500

Where do they spend the night? 

Forty-two percent of all tourists, including Danes, spent their vacations in rented holiday homes, while 23 percent camped outside. Only 23 percent of all overnight stays in Denmark were in hotels — holiday centers, hostels, and marinas round out the rest. 

READ MORE: Summer houses in Denmark: What are the rules and when can you live in them?

Beaches beat the cities 

A whopping 80 percent of overnight stays were for coastal and nature tourism — that’s the summer house culture for you — while only 11 percent was tourism to big cities. Business tourism accounted for the last 9 percent. 

Favourite destinations by country 

German tourists flocked to a region called Vesterhavet (literally ‘the western sea’ in Danish), spending 5 million overnight stays there in 2021. The distant second and third favorite destinations for holiday-making Germans in Denmark were Nordvestkysten (‘the north west coast,’ which saw 2.3 million overnight stays) and Southern Jutland with 1.6 million. 

As far as the US is concerned, Denmark might as well be a city-state — 77 percent of American visitors stayed in Denmark’s capital city, while 63 percent of UK tourists and nearly half of all visits from Swedes were to Copenhagen. 

Norwegians have a broader palate for Denmark’s diverse charms, with about a third staying in Copenhagen and the other two thirds spread across the Danish islands and beaches. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

DISCOVER DENMARK

The cheap summer travel ticket scheme returns for 2024

The popular summer ticket scheme from the Danish train company DSB is back for the fifth year in a row. The travel pass gives unlimited access to public transport across the country during an eight-day period.

The cheap summer travel ticket scheme returns for 2024

The rejsepas (travel pass), which is being offered by DSB, will be released for sale on June 4th and available to buy until August 3rd.

It will give the holder free access to all public transport in Denmark during eight consecutive days. These days can be chosen by the pass holder but must be between June 29th and August 11th. This summer the card is valid for that entire period, unlike last year when there was an interruption due to track work.

The pass can be used on all DSB trains, as well as on Arriva buses and trains, on the Copenhagen Metro and S-train, on the Letbane in Aarhus and Odense, and on local rail services.

The pass will cost 399 kroner for adults, meaning one rail journey between Jutland and Copenhagen is likely to see its costs covered (the regular ticket price for a single trip from Aarhus to Copenhagen is around 429 kroner).

Adult travellers can bring two children under 12 with them for free. The pass costs 199 kroner for children aged 12-15 or otherwise not travelling under an adult ticket. Children over 12 can bring one child under 12 with them for free.

In line with rules for regular tickets, you may need to buy an add-on ticket if you bring your bicycle with you on trains.

Sales of the travel pass will be limited to 75,000.

“It is a good offer for all travellers who want to go out into the holiday landscape in Denmark and see the country in new ways”, DSB customer services director Charlotte Kjærulff said in a press statement.

“We hope that there are many who find inspiration to take both short and long trips in Denmark. There are good opportunities to go to new places and be a tourist in your own country,” she said.

Last year saw 49,728 of the 75,000 passes sold by DSB.

The scheme was introduced in 2020 in response to many holidaying domestically due to Covid-19 restrictions. The 50,000 tickets on offer that year quickly sold out.

SHOW COMMENTS