From ambition to action: Meeting initiative to elevate Danish destinations outside the major cities internationally

While Denmark's major cities have for many years worked with a clear focus on international business and meetings tourism, attention is now also turning to destinations outside the country's largest cities. Both nationally and locally, interest is growing in attracting international meetings and conferences to smaller meeting destinations - and the potential is significant.

MeetDenmark has therefore launched a new initiative in the meetings market. The ambition is clear: more Danish destinations should work strategically and purposefully, so that over time we achieve a stronger market position, better relationships, and increased international visibility.

In close collaboration with VisitDenmark, and with funding from the Tourism Reserve FL25, the meetings initiative unfolds through three core activity tracks that together strengthen the international positioning of destinations:

• Local product and partnership development (Destinations and stakeholders)
• Development of internationally oriented sales and presentation materials (Destinations)
• Relationship building and market access (Competency modules - MeetDenmark and VisitDenmark)

Together, the three tracks are designed to ensure that more destinations become ready to compete and win business in the international meetings market.

A strong foundation first

In March 2026, MeetDenmark published market and potential analyses (only available in Danish) for the association's member destinations. These analyses, produced with funding from the FL24 Tourism Reserve, mapped the efforts needed to strengthen Danish meeting destinations in their work to attract more international meetings business outside the major cities. Knowledge from the analyses will form the foundation for the strategic action plan for developing international meetings and business tourism, which destinations are to complete by the end of 2026.

With this foundation in place, destinations are ready to strengthen their local product development and partnerships. This involves identifying and developing a core narrative that makes the destination relevant internationally, and bringing local stakeholders together around a shared direction. Experience shows that one of the greatest drivers of development lies in local collaboration.

Next comes the work of translating those strengths into concrete sales narratives and materials that make it easy for international meeting planners to understand and choose the destination. When strategy, product development, and market activities are aligned, the likelihood of success increases - not just in terms of visibility, but in terms of genuinely attracting business and creating value.

When destinations engage the market with clear products and a sharp value proposition, conversations become relevant and lasting, and can ultimately be converted into concrete conferences, meetings, and incentive trips. Visibility work is an investment that only truly pays off over time, which is why it is important to set a strong strategic direction and develop clear products.

There is no quick route to more meetings. But we are building a solid road to the right meetings.