Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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Denmark has over 7,000 kilometers of coastline,235 with over 200 blue-flag beaches,236 which is
one of the main holiday attractions for both locals and foreigners. It provides suitable and
attractive opportunities for family holidays with expansive and uncrowded beaches to sunbathe
and swim in summer. Watersports such as kayaking, fishing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing are
also an attraction. Denmark has four national parks, one of them declared a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO in 2014. Nature outdoor activities in these places include hiking, cycling, horseback
riding, oyster picking, camping, bird watching, and are quite popular. In fact, coast and rural
tourism represents 72% of all bed nights in Denmark.237 Caravan and camping holidays account
for a significant share of the tourism market with almost eight million night stays in 2017.238
Nature and camping tourism is dominated by Danish and other Scandinavian holidaymakers.
A challenge facing the Danish tourism industry is the market price competitiveness, since the
price of tourism services is a key competitive parameter worldwide. Denmark is one of the most
expensive countries to visit, with its capital ranking as the second most expensive holiday
destination in Europe239. However, Denmark does not seem to be able, nor willing, to compete
on wages or conditions of employment with poorer countries. Therefore, “its competitiveness in
the tourism industry must necessarily be based on other parameters such as positive
experiences, superior quality and excellent service.”240 The World Economic Forum’s (WEF)
Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 places Denmark in the competitive index in the
31st position,241 ranking 129th in ‘Price Competitiveness’.242 As such, although on an upward
trend,243 the sector can be further developed to fulfill visitors’ expectations of very high quality
service to satisfy their price-to-quality expectations.
Sustainable Destination Management
Destination Governance
The purpose of tourist associations is to encourage tourists to visit a particular area, typically a
city or municipality. Denmark’s first tourist association, Danish Tourist Association, however,
was nationwide, and was founded in 1889 in Copenhagen. In the following years, several
independent local tourist associations were established, and these formed a joint federation in
1905.244
235 VisitDenmark. (n.d.). Denmark’s unbelievable coastline. Retrieved from
gb/denmark/nature/denmarks-unbelievable-coastline-0.
236 VisitDenmark. (n.d.). Denmark's unbelievable coastline. Retrieved from
237 Visit Denmark. (2018). Tourism in Denmark – creates jobs and growth. Retrieved from
rk.pdf.
238 Statistics Denmark (n.d.). Website. Retrieved from
239 Business Insider (2017). The 12 most expensive holiday destinations in Europe. Retrieved from
240 Erhversministeriet. (nd.). Summary: Denmark at work - Plan for growth in Danish tourism. Retrieved from
241 World Economic Forum. (2017). The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2017. Retrieved from
242 World Economic Forum. (2017). The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2017. Retrieved from
243 World Economic Forum. (2017). The travel & tourism competitiveness report 2017. Retrieved from
244 Lyck, L. (n.d.). Chinese and Danish tourism management in a global world. Retrieved from