Change of second home usage during Corona in Danish rural, peripheral regions

During the COVID-19 pandemic the demand for second homes and other alternative places to be closer to nature and to escape the spread of the virus grew. This was apparent in many parts of the world including Denmark where sales and use of second homes increased considerably. Second homes in Denmark are predominantly located in rural and peripheral parts of the country. In some cases, the increased number of people located for longer periods may have caused conflicts with residents due to the overuse of places for recreation, and conflicts caused by different cultures and lifestyles. However, the increase in demand and use for second homes can potentially contribute to local communities and businesses such as greater turnover in the local retail trade, renovation of local housing providing work for local craftsmen. In our case study area of the peripheral region Lolland we use a mixed-methods approach to identify the changes in the second home market during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes quantitative data (sales of second homes, surveys among second-home owners, electricity use in second homes) and qualitative data (interview with residents, local businesses, and organizations). The study shows that changes in the market for second homes took place during COVID-19 and that some of these changes have remained after the pandemic.