A new fee for day-trippers in Venice. A looming ban on holiday homes in Barcelona. Restrictions on alcohol sales in Mallorca. At a time when overwhelmed European destinations are saddled with restrictions and fees for tourists, Copenhagen is trying a different approach: rewarding visitors who behave responsibly.
Starting July 15, tourists who demonstrate climate-friendly travel behavior by participating in the city's green initiatives, such as cycling, train travel, and cleanups, will receive access to museum tours, kayak rentals, free meals, and more.
“We need to transform tourism from a burden on the environment into a force for positive change,” said Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, the tourism organization for Denmark’s Capital Region. A key step in this transformation, he said, “is to change how we move around the destination, what we consume and how we interact with the locals.”
On average, 81 percent of consumers say they want to act more sustainably, but only 22 percent have changed their behavior, according to a 2023 sustainability report from Kanter, a London-based market research group. Copenhagen’s new initiative, CopenPay, aims to close the gap between the desire to act sustainably and actual behavior by turning climate-friendly action into a currency for cultural experiences.
For example, bikers or trains to CopenHill, an artificial ski slope built on top of a new waste management center, can ride down the hill to its roof for free. Other locations offer visitors the opportunity to volunteer for cleanups. The National Gallery of Denmark is hosting workshops to turn plastic waste into artwork, while Copenhagen Surf School is offering a free lunch to surfers who join in a 30-minute beach cleanup after their surf course. More than 20 attractions will participate in the pilot program this summer.
“Our vision with CopenPay is to create a domino effect,” said Mr. Hansen. “We hope that by demonstrating the success of this and other initiatives, other cities around the world will be inspired to find their way to driving more sustainable tourism behavior, ultimately leading to a more sustainable future for all.”
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