What VisitOdense does

VisitOdense is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Odense, Denmark, operated as a municipal entity under Odense Kommune. The organization promotes Odense to leisure tourists, business travelers, and tourism industry stakeholders through a multilingual digital platform (websites in Danish, English, and German built on VisitDenmark's national platform with Combines CMS), an annual magazine, downloadable brochures, a physical tourist information point at Borgernes Hus near Odense Banegård, and seasonal City Hosts at Flakhaven. It also operates an AI chatbot (Karlachat.ai) for visitor assistance and runs B2C and B2B newsletter programs via Peytz Mail, supported by analytics infrastructure from Google Analytics 4, Meta Pixel, Pinterest Pixel, and Stape server-side tracking.

The organization curates content around Odense's principal cultural and natural assets: the H.C. Andersen birthplace heritage, Viking history anchored by the UNESCO-registered ring fortress Nonnebakken, more than 560 km of cycle paths, 120 parks and gardens, a car-free city center, and a Michelin-acknowledged dining scene. VisitOdense coordinates five tourism industry networks (culture tourism, events, hotels, Kickoff Turismen, and the Odense Storytellers influencer community), partners with Destination Fyn on regional strategy, and participates in multi-city initiatives including Dansk Storbyturisme's 'Storbyernes kultursignatur' project and the Cities for Culture network.

VisitOdense's business model is non-commercial. It is publicly funded through Odense Kommune's municipal budget and supplementary public grants (including 10 million DKK allocated over three years for Viking heritage development and participation in the 4.89 million DKK Danmarks Erhvervsfremmebestyrelse-funded cultural tourism project). Services to visitors are free; the organization does not sell products or charge fees, instead generating indirect economic value through increased tourism spending in the city. Revenue concentration on a single municipal principal is structurally complete, while the end-consumer base spans domestic and international source markets including Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, and the United States.

Name

VisitOdense

Legal name

VisitOdense / Odense Kommune

Website

https://visitodense.dk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VisitOdense is the official municipal destination marketing organization for Odense, Denmark, owned by Odense Kommune. It promotes the city to domestic and international tourists via multilingual websites, newsletters, an annual magazine, City Hosts, and an AI chatbot, funded entirely by public municipal and grant budgets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (4879)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Destination & Itinerary Management (DMC-Led Experiences, Excursions, VIP Access) (THAHANAE), Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips) (THAJABAL)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism promotion
• Visitor information services
• City marketing
• Travel content publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Odense

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal funding / public service: VisitOdense is a municipal entity under Odense Kommune, funded by public means to promote tourism and the city as a destination. The organization acts as the official destination management/marketing organization (DMO) for Odense.
2. Tourism promotion and visitor services: Provides free tourist information, guides, brochures, and digital content to visitors. Revenue is indirect, generated through increased tourism spending in the city.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VisitOdense is the official destination management organization (DMO) for Odense, Denmark. It provides comprehensive, multilingual tourism information and visitor services through its website, physical info points, mobile City Hosts, newsletters, and an influencer network. The organization promotes Odense as a year-round destination covering attractions, events, dining, accommodation, cycling routes, and cultural experiences, with no direct fees charged to tourists.

Product overview

VisitOdense operates as the official destination marketing organization for Odense, Denmark, providing a unified tourism platform and associated services. The core offering is the VisitOdense tourism website (www.visitodense.dk/com), which serves as a comprehensive digital hub for visitor information. Supporting services include the annual VisitOdense Magazine (digital publication), downloadable City Maps and Brochures, the City Hosts mobile tourist service, B2B and B2C newsletters in multiple languages, the Odense Storytellers influencer network, and physical visitor information at Borgernes Hus. The organization also provides Digital City Walks as audio-guided tours. VisitOdense connects local tourism businesses, attractions, and event organizers with both leisure visitors and business travelers through its digital and physical channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VisitOdense Tourism Website The primary digital platform providing comprehensive tourism information for Odense, Denmark in Danish, English, and German. Covers attractions, events, dining, accommodations, cycling routes, seasonal activities, and practical visitor planning resources.
• VisitOdense Magazine Annual magazine publication available in digital format showcasing Odense experiences, attractions, dining, and travel inspiration for visitors.
• City Maps and Brochures Downloadable brochures and maps including city maps, cycling route maps, sculpture park maps, and event adventure sculpture maps, also physically distributed via Borgernes Hus and City Hosts.
• City Hosts Mobile tourist service with local ambassadors stationed at Flakhaven during summer months, providing maps, flyers, guidance, and inspiration to visitors in person.
• B2B Newsletter Business-to-business newsletter providing industry insights, tourism trends, networking opportunities, and information about new initiatives in Odense's tourism sector, delivered to local operators and stakeholders.
• B2C Newsletter Consumer newsletters available in Danish, English, and German languages covering culture, events, and tourism updates for Odense visitors.
• Odense Storytellers Influencer and content creator network where local participants share unique perspectives on Odense, discover hidden gems, receive invitations to exclusive events, and contribute to the city's storytelling initiatives.
• Borgernes Hus Information Center Physical tourist information point located at Odense Banegård Center, providing local brochures about Odense attractions and Fyn experiences, staffed with personnel offering in-person visitor assistance.
• Digital City Walks Digital guided tours and audio walks covering historical sites, H.C. Andersen locations, nature adventures, and fairy tale sculpture routes in Odense.
• Chatbot Service AI-powered chatbot on VisitOdense websites providing automated visitor assistance and inspiration for trip planning in Odense, with the option for users to receive conversation summaries via email.

Quantifiable outcome

• 215,996 overnight stays in summer 2025, up 6.9% vs prior year, significantly above the 1% national average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VisitDenmarkcoreTechnology or IntegrationVisitOdense's websites are built on VisitDenmarks national tourism platform. This provides the technical infrastructure for VisitOdense's digital presence and integrates Odense into the national tourism information ecosystem.
• Combines CMS-systemcoreTechnology or IntegrationVisitOdense's websites use Combines as the content management system alongside VisitDenmarks platform, enabling the organization to manage and publish multilingual content.
• Cookie InformationcoreTechnology or IntegrationCookie Information handles VisitOdense's GDPR-compliant cookie consent management across all its websites, including monthly policy updates.
• Peytz MailcoreTechnology or IntegrationPeytz Mail is the newsletter platform used by VisitOdense to send its four newsletters (B2C Danish, B2C English, B2C German, B2B Danish) to subscribers.
• Google Analytics 4 / Google Tag Manager / Google Ads / Google Marketing PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationVisitOdense uses Google's analytics, tag management, and advertising platforms for website traffic analysis, campaign measurement, and marketing targeting.
• Meta Pixel / Pinterest PixelcoreTechnology or IntegrationVisitOdense uses Meta Pixel and Pinterest Pixel for campaign measurement and marketing targeting on social media platforms.
• Odense KommunecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisitOdense / Odense Kommune is the data controller for personal data processing on VisitOdense's websites. VisitOdense operates as a municipal entity under Odense Kommune, which provides its primary institutional backing and strategic direction.
• Destination FyncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDestination Fyn is the regional destination management organization for Fyn. VisitOdense works closely with Destination Fyn, as demonstrated by joint statements on tourism growth and regional marketing strategy.
• Borgernes HuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBorgernes Hus, located next to Odense Banegård, hosts VisitOdense's physical tourist information point where visitors can access brochures and receive assistance. The partnership extends VisitOdense's reach to in-person visitors arriving by train.
• Dansk StorbyturismecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisitOdense participates in Dansk Storbyturisme's 'Storbyernes kultursignatur' project, funded by Danmarks Erhvervsfremmebestyrelse with 4.89 million DKK, focused on strengthening cultural tourism in Denmark's four major cities outside peak season.
• Cities for Culture networkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cities for Culture project, running for three years, brought together 24 cultural actors and developed 30 new cultural products with a green/sustainability focus, with over 700 participants in competency-building activities.
• Odense tourism industry networkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisitOdense facilitates five industry networks: Kulturturismenetværk (culture tourism), Eventnetværk (events), Hotelnetværk (hotels), Kickoff Turismen (annual kickoff), and Odense Storytellers (influencers). These networks coordinate tourism development across Odense's ecosystem.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VisitAarhus: Official DMO for Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city. Closest comparable in scale, mandate, and Danish municipal-tourism structure, competing for the same regional and international tourist segments as VisitOdense.
• Wonderful Copenhagen: Official DMO for Copenhagen and the Capital Region. Direct Danish peer operating with a similar mandate (promotion, convention bureau, content) but at significantly larger scale, setting the benchmark for Danish city tourism marketing.
• VisitAalborg: DMO for Aalborg, Denmark's fourth-largest city. Comparable Danish mid-tier city DMO operating with similar municipal funding model, content marketing approach, and event-driven destination promotion strategy.
• Destination Fyn: Regional destination management organization for the island of Fyn, of which Odense is the capital. Directly comparable as a DMO coordinating the same tourism ecosystem VisitOdense serves, and named as a strategic partner in the source data.

Regional players

• Stockholm Business Region / Visit Stockholm: DMO and business region development agency for Stockholm. Comparable Nordic metropolitan DMO with similar MICE/convention bureau mandate, multilingual platform, and event-driven marketing calendar.
• Hamburg Tourismus GmbH: Official tourism marketing organization for Hamburg, Germany. Comparable as a German-speaking city DMO targeting similar Northern European visitor flows and operating a multilingual content platform across Danish, English, and German audiences.
• Visit Oslo: Official DMO for Oslo, Norway. Comparable Nordic capital-region DMO with a similar mix of cultural tourism, urban marketing, and sustainability narrative targeting international visitors in competition with Odense for Northern European city tourism.

Broad incumbents

• NYC & Company: Official DMO for New York City. Comparable as a large-scale municipal tourism organization with multilingual content, convention bureau function, and influencer/media outreach programs — operating at significantly larger scale than VisitOdense.
• VisitDenmark: National tourism board for Denmark and the platform provider on which VisitOdense's websites are built. Comparable as the parent-tier DMO whose strategy and infrastructure shape VisitOdense's go-to-market and target markets.

Others

• Lonely Planet: Global travel content and ranking authority that has recognized H.C. Andersens Hus and Fyn (where VisitOdense operates). Comparable as an influential third-party content partner shaping destination perception and traveler consideration sets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VisitOdense
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitodense
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visitodense

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VisitOdense