The tourism economy is essential to Danish society. It generates 120,000 full-time jobs and drives�growth of DKK 82bn in revenue, which supports the welfare of the Danish society (EVM 2014).�According to Denmark Ministry of Business and Growth (EVM), Danish tourism has stayed the�same for five years (2007 to 2012) while Europe as a whole enjoyed growth. While tourism in�Copenhagen achieved growth of 35 percent (2008 � 2012), tourism in coastal and nature tourism�has suffered a significant decline. Still, coastal and nature tourism is a central market for Danish�tourism as most of the visitors enjoy the nature and the easy access to water in Denmark. Therefore,�one aspect of the growth plan is to develop the coastal and nature tourism. The plan includes�promoting the small-scale tourism in rural districts and incorporate Danish countryside and natural�features as a tourism product. In line with this initiative, last 2009, Stevns Municipality,��stsj�llands Museum, and the Heritage Agency of Denmark launched a combined effort to have�Stevns Klint inscribed on UNESCO�s World Heritage List (Stevns Kommune 2011). It is to�represent something entirely unique and outstanding in Denmark that has the potential to assist the local�tourism plus enhance the community pride and awareness.
Stevns Klint (SK) was awarded World Heritage status at the 38th session of the World Heritage�Committee meeting on June 23, 2014 (UNESCO, 2014). Denmark has now its first two natural�heritage sites added on the first-three-world cultural heritage sites4 (Kulturarv, 2010).�The mission for Stevns Klint is to implement sustainable development in the area, in accordance with the�objectives of the new World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme. According to�UNESCO (2014), the program represents a new approach based on engaging broad stakeholders in�the preparation and management of sustainable tourism thru communication and empowerment of�local communities. The program is made to realize the fact that the community is a critical�stakeholder in the tourism system and process; hence, it is important that tourism development�effort in the community is guided by the community�s reaction. The attitude or perception of the�local residents towards tourists and tourism is vital to the sustainability of the industry.
Photo Source: Sj�llandske Medier http://www.sn.dk/stevns/udstilling-om-verdensarven/artikel/417480
World Heritage Site