Page last updated: 20 January 2025
Denmark, with its charming blend of historic cities, scenic landscapes, and rich cultural heritage, offers visitors a unique experience of Nordic hospitality and innovation.
How many people visit Denmark each year?
Around 25 million to 30 million international and domestic tourists visit Denmark each year.1
- In 2019, Denmark welcomed 29.1 million international visitors, marking the highest recorded number of visitors.
- When the pandemic started, this number dropped by 44% to 16.3 million in 2020.
- By 2021, Denmark experienced a 7% increase in tourist numbers, with 17.4 million international visitors.
- Inbound tourism rose with 31.2 million visitors in 2022 and 32.5million in 2023, surpassing 2019 levels by 12%.
How many people visited Denmark in 2024?
A total of 35.86 million nights were spent at tourist accommodation establishments in Denmark from January to October 2024.
This represented a combined total of domestic and international visitors. Data for November and December is not yet available.
- Domestic visitors accounted for 21.61 million nights, which made up 60.3% of the total.
- International visitors contributed 14.26 million nights, which represented 39.7% of the total.
Monthly Nights Spent at Tourist Accommodation Establishments in Denmark (2024)
| MONTH | DOMESTIC | INTERNATIONAL | COMBINED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 957,105 | 458,449 | 1,415,554 |
| Feb | 1,158,520 | 493,968 | 1,652,488 |
| Mar | 1,494,799 | 777,989 | 2,272,788 |
| Apr | 1,800,967 | 1,013,024 | 2,813,991 |
| May | 2,448,099 | 1,505,545 | 3,953,644 |
| Jun | 2,519,799 | 1,696,475 | 4,216,274 |
| Jul | 4,328,060 | 2,832,488 | 7,160,548 |
| Aug | 2,952,083 | 2,978,867 | 5,930,950 |
| Sep | 2,179,026 | 1,323,666 | 3,502,692 |
| Oct | 1,766,615 | 1,179,328 | 2,945,943 |
| Nov | not available yet | not available yet | not available yet |
| Dec | not available yet | not available yet | not available yet |
| YTD TOTAL | 21,605,073 | 14,259,799 | 35,864,872 |
Note: These figures represent overnight stays at tourist accommodation establishments in Denmark, not individual visitor counts.
How many people visited Denmark in 2023?
- In 2023, Denmark welcomed a total of 63.7 million visitors, with 32.5 million being international tourists and 31.2 million domestic travellers. This represented a 12% increase from the peak pre-pandemic year of 2019.
How much do tourists spend in Denmark every year?
Domestic and international visitors spent a combined DKK152.6 billion during trips to Denmark in 2022.2
- Inbound tourist expenditure in Denmark generated DKK 74.1 billion in 2019.
- This number decreased to DKK 31.6 billion in 2020 due to coronavirus travel restrictions and fewer international visitors. It increased by 10% in 2021 to DKK 34.7 billion.
- 2022 marked a recovery year in terms of tourist spending, which amounted to DKK 65.7 billion.
How much does Denmark earn from tourism?
- According to the StatBank of Denmark, the total tourism revenue in 2022 was DKK152.6 billion. Inbound tourism revenue amounted to DKK65.7 billion, representing 44% of the total tourism revenue.
Which country visited Denmark the most in 2023?
The leading sources of foreign tourists to Denmark in 2023 were Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States of America, and Norway.
- In 2023, Germany was the top source of international visitors to Denmark, accounting for 5.5 million visits with 17.7% of the overall market share.
- The United Kingdom also contributed about 2.5%, with 770,000 tourists.
- Sweden accounted for 740,000 international visits, with a market share of 2.3%.
Economic Impact – Denmark Tourism Statistics
The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) highlighted the importance of the travel tourism industry, showcasing new highs in GDP contribution and sector employment.3
- In 2023, Denmark’s travel and tourism sector experienced a substantial rebound, growing by 17.5% to $22.6 billion, which represented 5.7% of the nation’s total economic output.
- The sector also boosted employment, with nearly 191,600 jobs created, reflecting a 11.4% year-on-year increase and matching the employment levels of 2019.
What is the peak season in Denmark?
The peak tourist months in 2023 were June, July, August, September and October.
- July had the highest number of visitors (12.19 million), driven by the summer holiday season, warm weather, and school vacations.
- August followed closely with 10.04 million visitors, as summer vacations continued and many European countries experienced extended holiday periods.
- June attracted 6.85 million visitors, marking the start of the summer season with favourable weather and various outdoor events and festivals.
- May welcomed 5.97 million visitors, benefiting from mild weather and several public holidays, making it an ideal time for short trips and cultural visits.
- September welcomed 5.75 million visitors, likely due to the pleasant late-summer weather, fewer crowds after the peak vacation period, and ongoing festivals or cultural events.
How popular is Denmark as a tourist destination?
- Denmark recorded 32.5 million international tourists in 2023, ranking as the 8th “Best Performing World Tourism Country.”4
- Denmark also ranked 6th globally as “Large Best-Performing Destination in 2024.”
Denmark Travel Resources
Denmark Travel Statistics – International & Domestic Tourism
2023 marked Denmark’s recovery year with tourism figures matching the trend of both domestic and international tourists in the pre-pandemic years.
- Pre-Pandemic Period (2012-2019): Denmark experienced steady growth in both international and domestic visitors, peaking in 2019 with 56.7 million visitors.
- Pandemic Impact (2020-2021): The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted tourism, causing a 20% drop in visitor numbers in both segments.
- Despite the pandemic, domestic tourism showed more resilience compared to international tourism, reflecting reliance on local travel during global disruptions.
Why do tourists visit Denmark?
Beach recreation, visiting friends and relatives, travelling to holiday homes, and other personal reasons make up why international tourists visited Denmark in 2023.
- Beach holidays dominated tourism, accounting for 75% of visits, emphasising Denmark’s strong appeal as a coastal destination.
- Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) made up 16% of visits, reflecting the importance of personal connections in travel.
- Holiday home stays constituted 5% of visits, showing a smaller but steady interest in private and extended stays.
- Other reasons accounted for 6% of visits.
What are Denmark’s top tourist attractions?
- Copenhagen: Denmark’s capital, is the most visited destination, attracting approximately 4 million visitors annually to attractions like Tivoli Gardens and the Little Mermaid statue.
- Bornholm: Known for its scenic coastline and beaches, draws around 500,000 visitors each year.
- Legoland Billund: A major family destination with rides and Lego models, sees about 1.7 million visitors annually.
- Aarhus: Denmark’s second-largest city, features attractions like the Old Town museum and ARoS art museum, welcoming around 1.4 million visitors each year.
- Skagen: Famous for its unique light and sandy beaches, attracts approximately 166,000 visitors annually.
Europe Travel Resources
- Austria Statistics
- Belgium Statistics
- Croatia Statistics
- Denmark Statistics
- France Statistics (incl. Paris, Disneyland Paris, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame)
- Georgia Statistics
- Germany Statistics (incl. Berlin)
- Greece Statistics (incl. Parthenon)
- Iceland Statistics
- Italy Statistics (incl. Florence, Milan, Rome, Venice)
- Netherlands Statistics (incl. Amsterdam)
- Norway Statistics
- Portugal Statistics (incl. Lisbon)
- Spain Statistics (incl. Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca)
- Sweden Statistics
- Switzerland Statistics
- UK Statistics (incl. Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Oxford, Scotland)
