Overnight stays in Denmark’s countryside reached a new milestone this summer, with more than 10,000 bookings recorded during the holiday period for the first time.
According to the Danish Nature Agency, 11,563 bookings of campsites, tent sites, and shelters were registered between weeks 26 and 32. This marks an increase of nearly 5,000 compared with 2024 and represents the highest figure since the agency began tracking bookings in 2022.
The trend is also reflected locally on Bornholm, where demand for nature-based stays continues to rise, according to a report published by TV2 Bornholm.
Roughly half of the island’s shelters and tent sites can be booked online, and figures show steady growth. In 2024, 393 bookings were made for shelters and 888 for tent sites. This year, the numbers rose to 413 shelter stays and 1,147 tent site bookings.
Commenting on the figures, Danish Nature Agency project worker Lærke Falstaff noted the appeal of spending more time outdoors.
“I think people have opened their eyes to the fact that there is a good tranquility in nature, and that there are experiences regardless of the season and regardless of the time of day,” she said.
“Nature has fantastic opportunities to create a framework for peace and contemplation, but also social interaction,” she added.
Across Denmark, 2,620 bookable nature-based accommodation options are available through udinaturen.dk, including the sites on Bornholm. Other locations operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
For outdoor hospitality professionals, the rise in bookings suggests that structured and accessible nature-based accommodations are gaining traction with domestic travelers.
The ability to secure a spot in advance appears to be encouraging more people to try overnight stays outdoors.
This shift highlights a potential opportunity for campground and park operators in other regions to expand offerings that combine accessibility, natural settings, and online booking convenience.