THE Danish Tourist Board is trying to give Copenhagen a new trendy image to encourage younger people to visit the city.
However, London office director Henrik Kahn insists the tourist board will not be throwing out the city’s famous Little Mermaid image, which adorns many brochures, but will be promoting Copenhagen’s fashion, nightlife and architecture in addition.
“Copenhagen is not the sleepy city it was 10 years ago,” said Kahn, who replaced Soren Damstrup as head of the London tourist office last November. “Fashion has made huge steps forward, there are trendy restaurants and cafes, and the nightlife is coming back.”
But, one of Copenhagen’s key problems is bedspace. The city, which recorded 235,201 bednights from the UK from January to October last year, is often full in peak times, which has caused problems for tour operators and convention organisers.
However, a number of new hotels are coming on line, including the three-star Copenhagen Strand, which will open in July with 175 rooms; the 395-room five-star Copenhagen Marriot, which opens in summer 2001; and the four-star Copenhagen Airport Hilton, opening in 2001 with 375 rooms. The three-star DGI-town Hotel opened last month with 102 rooms, while Swedish hotel chain First plans to convert a former department store into a 350-room hotel by late 2001.
In addition, the Oresund Bridge linking Copenhagen with Malmo, in Sweden, which opens on July 1, will give visitors fast access to Malmo’s bedstock, taking the strain off Copenhagen.
Bridge Travel Group cities general manager Gary Grieve said: “Space has been an issue. We did have a problem, hopefully resolved, of some hotels not honouring contracts as they could sell the rooms in the business sector for a higher rate.”
Cresta head of marketing Jane Williams added: “Copenhagen is heaving in summer and I hope the extra capacity will make some of the other hotels pull their socks up. They are used to being full and have become a bit complacent.”
Kahn said most UK visitors are 40-60-years-old, and advertising is aimed at this age group, focusing on images of the Little Mermaid and Tivoli Gardens, will not change.
But there will be new advertising this year in lifestyle magazines aimed at high-spending professionals aged 25-plus. Cash for this is coming from a link-up with airline SAS, launched in 1998, that has given the tourist office an additional £1m a year over three years, on top of its usual annual budget of £500,000.
“I want to develop similar projects with other partners, such as DFDS Seaways,” said Kahn.
“Until now, we have taken marketing one year at a time, but it is important to get long-term commitments from operators and airlines.”
Grieve said Copenhagen’s high age profile is due to the cost of a break – about £293 for three nights compared to £192 for Paris.
“Copenhagen is not seen as the cheapest place to go and it will take time and money to change that perception,” he added.
Travelscene sales director John Harding said the city rose to 17th place, from 19th, in the operator’s top 20 destinations last year, but added that the client age profile is mostly from the late 30s upwards.
“Go’s low-cost flights might help to bring a younger market. SAS does tend to be perceived as expensive,” he added.
Williams said Cresta’s sales are split between 40-plus customers, who want Tivoli-style Copenhagen, and well-heeled 25-plus clients who are going to the Nyhavn area to enjoy its cafes and bars.
“They like the lifestyle of Copenhagen and we have been able to reduce our lead price this year by adding the two-star Absalon,” she added.
A two-night break at the Absalon leads in at £277 bed and breakfast including return flights.