Travel and Tourism Is the Largest Industry

Travel and tourism is the largest industry in the world. Tourism is the business of providing information, transportation, accommodations, and other services to travelers. The industry is established almost everywhere in the world. According to the United Nations, international tourism has more than tripled over the past 30 years, accounting for thirteen percent of all foreign trade.

The country of Denmark consists of one peninsula and more than 400 islands. Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen, is stunning and picturesque, despite being home to nearly one million people. It is a large city yet has the feel of a quaint town, thanks to its cobbled streets, shops and restaurants, street musicians and vendors. The Danish people are known for their friendliness and hospitality.

Denmark offers an excellent public transportation system, along with a plethora of activities, such as hiking, biking, art shows and more. The city is also filled with large parks and gardens, as well as architectural wonders. Denmark has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Copenhagen is a family-oriented city with museums, cultural attractions, a lively nightlife, cafes, restaurants, and entertainment.

One would think that Denmark, with its wonderful culture and abundant resources, would be a top tourist destination. However, it is not. Denmark enjoyed a sharp increase in tourism between the late 1980's and early 1990's but the industry has remained steady since then.

Aims and Objectives

The aim of this research paper is to establish methods in which destination marketing would be successful for Denmark. This paper will identify strengths and weaknesses in the Danish tourism industry. It will also examine reports on tourism to pinpoint trends in the market. Finally, this paper will present a destination marketing plan for Denmark.

Literature Summary

Tourism is now Denmark's fourth largest industry. During the first years of the 1990s, Denmark saw tourism soar from 25 million registered bed nights in 1988 to 43 million in 1992. Since 1993, however, the level of tourism has remained fairly constant at around 44 million bed nights.

A recent Danish Tourist Council survey reveals that tourism provides 80,000 jobs in Denmark. For decades, tourism in Denmark has been synonymous with rental of summerhouses. However, recent reports show that there is currently a larger turnover, as well as an increase in revenues and employment generated from business travel.

Foreign one-day trips to Denmark are on the top of the top-15 list measured according to turnover and employment. A large amount of tourists come to Denmark just for a day.

To promote tourism in Denmark, destination marketers should target business people and wealthy weekend tourists from the United States, Germany, Southern Europe, Sweden and Russia.

According to the Danish Tourist Council, foreign tourists who stay more than two days in Copenhagen spend an average $186 per day for hotel, food, shopping, and more.

Methodology

The future of tourism in Denmark depends on the projection of a new image expressed through a new advertising concept. Denmark has so much to offer tourists, and it should promote its assets, which include a cozy atmosphere, an informal environment, excellent design and architecture, and creative talent.

There are many reasons why tourism has remained steady. The most important is that advertising and public relations for tourism in Denmark has not flourished. Many countries promote glossy brochures and massive advertising campaigns to attract tourists. Denmark does not seem to go too far out of its way to promote itself as a tourist destination. Denmark's advertising does not capture the essence of what the country really has to offer.

Demographic research shows the country's key visitors are adults 18 to 50-something years old and from medium-to-high income levels, and 3) living two to four hours away by car. Business and family travel is the fastest growing travel segment in Europe right now. Denmark would benefit from positioning itself as both a family destination and cultural city of entertainment.

Denmark marketing representatives should create brochures that feature honesty and credibility, with honest descriptions, rather than cliches or false descriptions. For example, Denmark is often rainy, yet destination brochures paint a picture of a clear, sunny city. Instead, brochures could show rainy weather and black-and-white photos alongside the city's beautiful landscape.

The Danish Tourist Board recently developed a new advertising concept based on photos with associated two-word descriptions, such as fast food and mass communication. The first word is crossed out, expressing an important message about Denmark. Denmark is not stressful. Instead, it is a well-functioning oasis where tourists can relax and enjoy life.

Denmark recently embarked upon a new project called Internet 2000, which made significant progress when it developed the technology behind a new Internet portal for www.visitdenmark.com.The Internet portal will be an important further development of the existing web site at www.visitdenmark.com, which has been operating since 1996.