DE S T INAT IONS


He adds: “We also have what we like to call ‘flexi-curity’


in Denmark. We are one of the countries in the world where it’s easiest to hire and fire people. Investors know that you may not be successful in the first rounds of funding, so you have to be able to scale up or down if needed. It’s much more difficult in Sweden, France and elsewhere in Europe, which costs companies money and time.” The Danish government has also taken steps to place


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entrepreneurial acumen at the heart of its policies, some of which may seem a little out there. For example, in May, tech millionaire Tommy Ahlers – also star of TV show Shark Tank, the Danish equivalent of Dragon’s Den – was appointed as minister of education and research. Having made his millions by selling his start-ups to Vodaphone and Citrix Systems Inc, Ahlers has reportedly criticised Denmark’s current education system for not being elitist enough, saying that an “academic proletariat” exists due to the sheer number of university graduates. Instead, he believes the system should ensure that fewer students make the grade, only those who prove they can handle the pressures of starting a business – it will be interesting to see how his vision pans out. In addition, in a landmark move, the Danish


government has announced plans to integrate the sharing economy into its tax and labour laws. Although Uber was booted out of Denmark last year for failing to comply with the existing regulations, Airbnb recently agreed to report all homeowners’ incomes from the home rental company to the Danish authorities, in order to crack down on tax evasion (a massive no-no in a country where the average citizen hands over 45 per cent of his/her income to the public purse). In addition, Airbnb will limit the number of days that


Danish homeowners may list a property to 70 days per year. In return, the government will give people letting their homes via Airbnb a tax-free allowance of up to 40,000 kroner (US$6,092) a year. This happy medium could set a precedent for countries all over the world, which are also witnessing that sharing economy enterprises are here to stay, but seeking a solution to reign them in and make them behave more like traditional businesses.


GRAND DESIGNS The international fervour for all things Scandi – fuelled in no small part by the popularity of TV series such as The Killing and Te Bridge – has steadily bolstered tourism to Copenhagen, and served the city’s hotel industry well. “We’ve seen this tremendous increase in tourism – we hotels have had a pretty good time over the past five years,” says Peter Borup, director of Copenhagen Strand hotel. “All Copenhagen hotels have undergone some kind of renovation during this time. And, now the crisis has passed, international investors are looking at Copenhagen. Projects are under way that will increase the number of


DE CEMB E R 2 0 18


rooms in the city by about 40 per cent over the next three or four years.” Recent visitors to the Danish capital will have noticed


the amount of drilling taking place in the city’s pretty public squares, and the kilometres of hoarding painted with edgy artwork in an attempt to compensate. The development of a new metro line, Cityringen, has been a long time coming. When it is complete in 2019, the circular route will connect the districts of Vesterbro, Norrebro and Osterbro. Afterwards, this line will also be extended by lines branching off to the north (Nordhavn extension, coming 2020) and to the south (Sydhavn, coming 2023). In a rather nifty move, the soil dug up during the


The international fervour for all things Scandi has steadily bolstered tourism and served Copenhagen’s hotel industry well


construction of the new metro line has been converted into reclaimed land – forming the new floating business and residential district where the Nordhavn line will terminate. Situated in the city’s North Harbour, Nordhavn is loaded with swanky apartments and industrial charm. Speaking of floating, last March


Copenhagen’s harbour gained a rather intriguing addition – a wooden island


sprouting a single linden tree. Designed by Australian architect Marshall Blecher and Magnus Maarbjerg from


Danish design studio Fokstrot, the 20 sqm structure is not only a resting place for kayakers and open-water swimmers, but it doubles up as event space, and was used to host lectures about the future of harbour cities. It’s intended to be the first of a “parkipelago” – a


network of nine islands that will add interest and activity around Copenhagen’s waterways. The idea is for them to be connected together for festivals or events, and each one will house something different: a sail-in café, a diving board, a mussel farm, a stage and a sauna are some of the current intentions. “The harbour has been cleaned up so that it’s fully


approved for swimming, and we’ve established outdoor facilities where you can take a dip after work,” says Lonborg. “How many cities around the world are there where you can you live downtown and swim in the harbour?” At dusk, I stroll up to Islands Brygge, the city’s original


“harbour bath”. The winding walkway connects to the wide promenade, creating sectioned-off areas of crystal- clear water. A few swimming-capped heads bob in and out of the water, while the walkways are teeming with revellers tucking into barbecued food truck snacks and chattering over the celebratory sounds of a live brass brand, living the hygge life. Seeing the city at its best, it’s undeniable that Copenhagen has the right DNA for being the world’s happiest city. BT


bus ine s s tr a v el ler .c om


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