Danish Travel Firm Sparks Outrage by Reversing Boycott

Ascar Ashleen

Freelance Writer

January 8, 2026
4:20 pm

After a year-long boycott of travel to the United States in protest against Donald Trump, the Danish travel agency Albatros Travel has reversed its stance, sparking strong reactions online.

Albatros Travel Ends Its Boycott of the United States

In early 2025, the Danish travel company Albatros Travel announced that it would stop offering trips to the United States. The decision was taken in protest against Donald Trump and his controversial statements about annexing Greenland. The company stated on its website that the boycott would continue “as long as Trump threatens to annex (invade) Greenland.” For many Danes, the move reflected a political and moral stand rooted in national pride and opposition to U.S. foreign ambitions regarding the island.
For context, see why Trump wants Greenland.

Nine months later, Albatros quietly changed course. The company declared that customers would once again have the option to travel to the U.S. and that the agency would resume marketing American destinations. The sudden shift was confirmed in a new year’s letter from CEO Søren Rasmussen, who explained that the firm had “regained its balance” after reassessing the situation.

Backlash in Danish Online Communities

The reversal sparked immediate criticism in one of Denmark’s largest social media groups, “Boykot varer fra USA” (“Boycott U.S. Products”), which counts more than 90,000 members. Many members accused Albatros of abandoning its values and questioned the sincerity of its commitment to its motto, “Travel with heart, brain & attitude.”

Three separate posts about Albatros appeared in the group shortly after the announcement, generating over 1,000 reactions and more than 100 comments. Several users said they planned to boycott Albatros Travel, viewing the company’s new decision as a retreat from moral principles in favor of profit.

Travelers Divided Over Ethical Dilemmas

Some in the group argued that traveling to the United States indirectly supports Trump’s administration by boosting the American economy. One commenter stressed that even though each traveler can decide for themselves, companies should take responsibility for aligning their products with their stated values. They see the return of U.S. tours as inconsistency, especially from a company that once promoted ethical travel.

Others point out that Albatros Travel is merely responding to customer demand. They argue that companies cannot be expected to lead moral crusades on behalf of consumers, and that Danes themselves must decide how to act on their personal beliefs. Despite these arguments, criticism within activist circles remains harsh.

Albatros Defends Its Decision

When Danish media reached out for comment, Albatros Travel referred instead to its public message to customers. Rasmussen emphasized that the company had temporarily “toned down U.S. sales” following Trump’s conduct in office but now believed people should decide individually where they want to travel.

He noted that, at the same time, Albatros had donated dozens of used SUV vehicles to Ukraine’s military and personally delivered some of them to Kyiv, positioning this act as part of the company’s humanitarian work. The CEO seemed to suggest that moral actions can take many forms and that the freedom to travel does not necessarily conflict with ethical engagement.

Larger Questions About Ethics and Business

The episode raises broader questions about how Danish companies navigate the intersection between moral convictions and commercial reality. Albatros’s change of heart mirrors the wider debate in Denmark about whether political protests should extend into consumer behavior.

Some say that boycotts and symbolic gestures can influence global politics, while others view them as impractical or inconsistent. In any case, the controversy shows that consumer expectations of corporate ethics are higher than ever.

At stake is not only whether to visit the United States during Trump’s presidency, but also how Danish businesses define responsibility in a polarized world. Albatros Travel’s reversal may have brought back profitable American itineraries, but it also reignited discussions about principles, national identity, and what it truly means to travel “with heart and attitude.”