International Bollywood star becomes new tourism ambassador for Odense

The appointment is part of a strategic effort to build stronger ties with the Asian market, where interest in Odense as a travel destination is growing steadily.

While she may be less familiar to Danish audiences, Taapsee Pannu is a household name in India – the world’s most populous country. The award-winning actress has appeared in over 50 films and earned 29 film awards, gaining recognition across the globe. With more than 20 million followers on Instagram, she maintains a strong presence both on screen and online.

Having recently moved to Odense with her husband, Danish badminton player Mathias Boe, Taapsee is now bringing international attention to her new home. Together with VisitOdense, she has entered into a unique tourism collaboration aimed at opening the world to Odense – and Odense to the world.

“It’s great news for Odense to have a tourism ambassador like Taapsee Pannu. With a fanbase in a vibrant, culturally rich country like India – whose population is many times larger than Denmark’s – this partnership holds exciting potential. It can help attract tourists and build bridges to businesses and investors. We’re looking forward to the collaboration,” says Peter Rahbæk Juel, Mayor of Odense.

Unlike traditional ambassador or influencer collaborations, this partnership is not commercially based. It’s rooted in shared values and a genuine passion for Odense’s development and storytelling. Both parties hope it will help promote the city with authenticity and credibility.

About her role, Taapsee Pannu says:

“It’s truly a privilege to call Odense my second home. Odense is a city with its own character, history and fairytale charm, and I’m very excited to share my experiences here with my followers. I’ve already enjoyed so many wonderful moments in the city – with friends, with family, and on my own. Hopefully, I can help spark curiosity about Odense and inspire more people to visit a place that I myself have grown very fond of.”

Sharp rise in visibility

Through her social media channels, Taapsee Pannu will be sharing insights into her life and experiences in Odense, with the aim of inspiring her millions of followers to explore the city.

VisitOdense is already seeing results. A single Instagram post related to the collaboration achieved over 1.5 million views and more than 151,000 interactions within just a few days. These numbers point to a strong international potential and show how this kind of partnership can generate high visibility and engagement – with no financial investment.

Trine Spliid Bech, Head of Administration for Growth & Tourism at Odense Municipality, explains: “We’re truly delighted that Taapsee Pannu is using her vast platform to showcase her new hometown. Her personal connection gives the collaboration a rare authenticity, and she’s a powerful voice for the city’s culture and the Nordic lifestyle. She combines global visibility with local roots, making her a credible ambassador for Odense.”

VisitOdense hopes this will be the first of many value-driven partnerships. The collaboration is part of a broader strategic initiative to develop ambassador-based marketing.

Growing visitor potential

The aim is to support the already rising number of Indian visitors to Odense. Since 2019, Indian overnight stays have increased by 41%, reflecting a national trend of growing interest from India in the post-pandemic years.

While Copenhagen and Aarhus still attract the majority of Indian tourists, Odense is beginning to share in the growth. Indian visitors currently make up a small segment of the city’s tourism market, but the upward trend indicates significant potential.

Odense’s international marketing efforts are led by VisitOdense in close collaboration with Destination Fyn and VisitDenmark.

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For more information, please contact: 
Stine Albrechtsen / stine@have.dk / 30 24 14 00 
Karoline Martha Jannerup / karoline@have.dk / 30 30 70 20