Why Danes are beginning to venture abroad again, boosting corona-hit travel sector
July has seen cool temperatures and rainy days in Denmark, after hotter weather last month. The country’s travel sector says the weather is encouraging more people to holiday abroad.
This week is likely to see a continuation of the cooler, wetter weather which has characterized much of this month, with temperatures of 16-20 degrees Celsius forecast from Monday to Friday.
“Monday will have mostly dry weather with a little to some sun,” DMI meteorologist Trine Pedersen told Ritzau. Rain is forecast in the west of the country from Monday evening and is expected to persist for much of the week.
“On the other hand, it will be less windy than it was last week, so it will feel warmer,” Pedersen added.
Friday is predicted to have the week’s best weather, with temperatures hitting up to 20-23 degrees Celsius.
The disappointing weather for domestic vacationers – which comes after a hot June – has been linked to an increase in bookings being made for holidays abroad, as the travel sector seeks to get back on its feet following the downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public service broadcaster DR reports that signs are emerging of people in Denmark changing plans to holiday domestically and instead travelling abroad, with much of the EU now open for most travel.
READ ALSO: Where can you travel in Europe? EU launches new website to help tourists
Countries with warm climates are the most popular destinations, according to Lars Thykier of the Association of Danish Travel Agents and Tour Operators (Danmarks Rejsebureau Forening), who spoke to DR.
“Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta and France are selling the best,” Thykier said.
“I think this is marvellous summer weather. It’s exactly what we need. It certainly wouldn’t do us any harm if the meteorologists could promise three more weeks of not-so-good weather,” he told the broadcaster.
Another travel agency said that last week saw around a “doubling” of visitors to its website.
“As travel agents, we are always pleased to see a few drops of rain in Denmark,” Henrik G. Jensen, branch manager with Aarhus Charter, told DR.
The broadcaster spoke to Danish passengers at Copenhagen airport who cited the weather as a primary motive for their recently-booked trips abroad.
Danish airports currently have a mandatory requirement to wear facemasks, while some countries require these to be worn at all times in public places.
Most of Europe is currently open to tourists from Denmark. This means that Danes and Danish-resident people can travel to much of Europe without having to quarantine themselves upon arrival.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidelines on travel to countries in the EU and Schengen zone as well as the United Kingdom can be checked on the ministry’s website. The guidelines are updated weekly.
The guidelines are based on current rates of Covid-19 infection as registered by the countries in question, as well as restrictions (such as quarantine) placed by those countries on arrivals from Denmark.
Portugal and parts of Sweden remain marked as ‘orange’ on the ministry’s guidelines, meaning that travel is not advised. The same applies to Ireland because of the quarantine rules currently implemented by Irish authorities.
READ ALSO: Denmark to welcome tourists from every EU country except (most of) Sweden and Portugal
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This week is likely to see a continuation of the cooler, wetter weather which has characterized much of this month, with temperatures of 16-20 degrees Celsius forecast from Monday to Friday.
“Monday will have mostly dry weather with a little to some sun,” DMI meteorologist Trine Pedersen told Ritzau. Rain is forecast in the west of the country from Monday evening and is expected to persist for much of the week.
“On the other hand, it will be less windy than it was last week, so it will feel warmer,” Pedersen added.
Friday is predicted to have the week’s best weather, with temperatures hitting up to 20-23 degrees Celsius.
The disappointing weather for domestic vacationers – which comes after a hot June – has been linked to an increase in bookings being made for holidays abroad, as the travel sector seeks to get back on its feet following the downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public service broadcaster DR reports that signs are emerging of people in Denmark changing plans to holiday domestically and instead travelling abroad, with much of the EU now open for most travel.
READ ALSO: Where can you travel in Europe? EU launches new website to help tourists
Countries with warm climates are the most popular destinations, according to Lars Thykier of the Association of Danish Travel Agents and Tour Operators (Danmarks Rejsebureau Forening), who spoke to DR.
“Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta and France are selling the best,” Thykier said.
“I think this is marvellous summer weather. It’s exactly what we need. It certainly wouldn’t do us any harm if the meteorologists could promise three more weeks of not-so-good weather,” he told the broadcaster.
Another travel agency said that last week saw around a “doubling” of visitors to its website.
“As travel agents, we are always pleased to see a few drops of rain in Denmark,” Henrik G. Jensen, branch manager with Aarhus Charter, told DR.
The broadcaster spoke to Danish passengers at Copenhagen airport who cited the weather as a primary motive for their recently-booked trips abroad.
Danish airports currently have a mandatory requirement to wear facemasks, while some countries require these to be worn at all times in public places.
Most of Europe is currently open to tourists from Denmark. This means that Danes and Danish-resident people can travel to much of Europe without having to quarantine themselves upon arrival.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidelines on travel to countries in the EU and Schengen zone as well as the United Kingdom can be checked on the ministry’s website. The guidelines are updated weekly.
The guidelines are based on current rates of Covid-19 infection as registered by the countries in question, as well as restrictions (such as quarantine) placed by those countries on arrivals from Denmark.
Portugal and parts of Sweden remain marked as ‘orange’ on the ministry’s guidelines, meaning that travel is not advised. The same applies to Ireland because of the quarantine rules currently implemented by Irish authorities.
READ ALSO: Denmark to welcome tourists from every EU country except (most of) Sweden and Portugal
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