Tourism agency apologises for YouTube outcry

VisitDenmark has apologised for causing offence to Danes after a viral video it posted on YouTube provoked a furious reaction.

The video, which has now been removed from the video-sharing website, showed a Danish mother with her child.

The woman in the video, later exposed as an actress, said she wasn't sure who the father of her baby was but could only remember that it was a tourist.

After the video was met with fury by many Danes, angry about the way it portrayed the country and its people, an apology was issued by VisitDenmark, the agency responsible for the viral.

"I regret any distress this film might have caused, it was not the intention of the movie," said the chief executive of VisitDenmark, Dorthe Kiilerich.

"The aim was to create a positive awareness of Denmark and to jump-start conversations about Denmark. As we don't wish to keep causing people distress, VisitDenmark has chosen to remove the film from YouTube," Kiilerich continued.

Reactions on YouTube ranged from the credulous to the disgusted.

"I wish them the best, especially for the baby real cute as a father it break my heart. I hope the guy who is father stand up and be man if and when he happens to see or heard about this video," one poster wrote.

"You say that it was to advertise Denmark... well I think you have achieved that. In a negative way! I think it is wrong to use people's emotions in this way. At least to me this has left a very negative image of Denmark and Danish people... Totally tasteless!" another comment read.