PREFACE
Together we can achieve more! The first five years of VisitSydsjælland-Møn – the joint destination management organisation (DMO) for Næstved, Vordingborg, Faxe and Stevns municipalities – have demonstrated this, and the four owner municipalities are proud of the progress and the community that has been created.
With the Tourism Co-operative, we are now setting a renewed and strengthened direction for this destination community, in a challenging time of upheaval marked by a global and local pandemic and great uncertainty, where community is more important than ever.
As South Zealand and Møn’s joint DMO, we have a responsibility to create cohesion, action and direction within a strategic platform that is constantly updated and always up for discussion – and where agility and adaptability is a goal in itself. Of course, we do not have all the answers about what the future holds, but we have vision and hopes for the community and collaboration that will take us forward.
Community is, in the true sense of the word, something we create together. The same is true of destination development. We hope you will welcome this strategy and help set the common course towards a strengthened and more sustainable Destination South Coast of Denmark.
VISMISSION
The Mission: We are VisitSydsjælland-Møn (VISM). We work towards sustainable tourism for the benefit of South Zealand and Møn in terms of employment, wellbeing, quality of life and settlement.
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER
The Tourism Co-operation is illustrated by four circles, each representing a part of the co-operative.
THE TOURISM CO-OPERATIVE IS THE VISION
The Tourism Co-operative is the vision to become the most creative and attractive destination in Denmark and the wish for South Zealand and Møn to be the strongest coastal and nature destination.
VISMANTRA
As a destination management organisation, we put our visible signature on all the collaborations and projects we participate in by taking responsibility and thinking outside the box about tourism. We want to make a difference and are not motivated by simply producing tourist brochures and handing them out at travel fairs. We believe in innovation rather than tradition. We need to think differently and find exciting new partners outside of our own expertise in order for our destination to break through in a competitive market. VISM wants to be the one to show a new path and set a new standard – to be the one you want to play with. In short, we will do everything we can to make the Tourism Co-operative an ambitious, dynamic and inspiring community.
WHERE WE COME FROM
The tourism community for South Zealand and Møn was founded in 2015 with the establishment of VisitSydsjælland-Møn as a joint-municipality destination management organisation (DMO). The common ambition was to transform an entire decade of stagnation in tourism into progress and manifest the South Coast of Denmark as an attractive destination in Denmark and Northern Europe. Many things have been achieved, and the partnership has succeeded in many respects thanks to the stable municipal political support, a great willingness to co-operate in the tourism industry and a huge local commitment. Above all, five years of community has taught us a great deal. However, the number of overnight stays has not changed enough.
SOUTH ZEALAND AND MØN HAS RISEN
The most thought-provoking thing about looking back on the first five years of our common journey is that pride, future vision and faith in the future have blossomed on South Zealand and Møn. Over the past five years, we have gained the Forest Tower, unique tourist accommodation, the Camøno hiking trail, the Holmegaard Værk glassworks, a Michelin star and an upcoming visitor centre at Stevns Klint UNESCO World Heritage. South Zealand and Møn’s tourism products have received a significant boost in quality in several respects. Above all, the Danish domestic market has finally opened its eyes to South Zealand and Møn’s holiday potential, which became especially clear during the pandemic’s enforced staycation. South Zealand and Møn has caught up, and faith in the future has returned. 70% of our partners believe that VISM has helped to create a new and unified narrative about South Zealand and Møn, and 80% believe that the South Coast of Denmark is now a strong and attractive national destination brand.
SOUTH ZEALAND AND MØN HAS SHARPENED IT’S FOCUSE
VisitSydsjælland-Møn has a strong market position as a comprehensive and attractive destination in nationwide campaigns and in Denmark’s international marketing. In the first five years, coherent core narratives have been created about South Zealand and Møn being perhaps Denmark’s most beautiful natural area, Copenhagen’s cultural-historical front yard and a strong suburban alternative to the holiday home product on the West Coast. We have learned that South Zealand and Møn have strong shared values and cultural history, which we can use to create a common future. Since 2016, and alongside our partners, we have increased South Zealand and Møn’s positive image, visibility and publicity on a number of important points.