The number of Chinese tourists visiting Denmark sets a new record. Even before the year has ended, last year’s record has been set and Denmark has already a strong focus on the valuable Chinese tourist and business market.
Only a few Danes would look back at the past summer of 2011 with satisfaction as it was one of the wettest and coldest ones ever measured in Denmark.
Nonetheless, the largest number of Chinese visitors saw the opportunity to travel to Denmark in 2011.
Within the first 10 months, 75.870 Chinese people stayed in Denmark marking a 5.054 increase compared to the figure in 2010 which represented almost 20% looking at the year’s current figures.
Although figures for the last two months are yet unavailable last year’s record of 62.185 has already been set.
In 2012, two new direct routes between Denmark and China will be opened. SAS will fly a route between Copenhagen and Shanghai and Air China between Copenhagen and Beijing, which will increase the current capacity between the two capitals by 60%, an equivalent of up to 50,000 more passengers a year.
“The increasing number of deep-pocketed Chinese tourists is good news for the Danish retail and tourism industry. This is outcome of a joint focused effort from both Copenhagen Airport and Visit Denmark in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” says Minister for Trade and Investments, Ms Pia Olsen Dyhr.
Focus on ‘New Markets’
In Denmark, the focus has been on the so-called ‘New Markets’ for a long time. These include BRIC countries, thus China. Therefore ‘Visit Denmark’ on the 7 November 2011, held an ‘Information and Inspiration’ meeting in Tivoli, Copenhagen, to discuss opportunities on the New Markets. Potentials, trends and experiences were debated while the Danish Tourism Board presented its new marketing plan for the coming year.
CEO of the Danish Tourism Board Mr. Jan Olsen said that earlier, the Chinese mostly came to Denmark on technical visits involving elements of both professional learning and vacation in the visit typically paid by other than the travelers themselves.
“However, today we see that they increasingly come as only tourists and have bought a trip to Scandinavia by themselves,” he added.
Valuable Tourism and Business
The increasing number of Chinese tourists and businessmen going to Denmark created a booming Danish export to China. In 2010, Chinese companies and consumers bought products for over 13 billion kroner leading to an increase of 17 % over the previous year.
In the recent years, the Chinese middle class has grown significantly hence gaining power. According to a recent report from McKinsey, the consumption of this year rose by 8.5% and 58% of Chinese consumers expect that they will spend even more money next year, the McKinsey’s report state.
“There are good opportunities for even better greater growth in trade with China in the coming years. Further, the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union will help make Denmark even more visible to China,” says Danish Ambassador to China, Mr Friis Arne Petersen.
