Many cities have started taxing tourists to prevent disruption to the natural and social environment, but Copenhagen has decided to try something different.
The famously progressive Danish capital is working to attract the right kind of globetrotter with a little positive reinforcement. Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s official tourism organization, has introduced a new initiative that rewards eco-conscious travelers with various perks.
CopenPay transforms green actions into currency for cultural experiences. Travelers who, say, choose to ride a bike, participate in a cleanup, or take public transport will be given enriching experiences in return. Highlights include complimentary guided museum tours, free kayak rentals, and vegetarian lunches at no cost. Visitors who take plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark can turn the trash into a piece of art, while those who bike to Copenhagen’s iconic heating plant can ski down the building’s roof. Even something simple like using a reusable coffee cup will get you a free cup of joe at selected venues.
Eco-conscious travelers can enjoy free kayak rentals.
“We want visitors to make conscious, green choices and hopefully end up getting even better experiences while they visit,” Wonderful Copenhagen CEO Mikkel Aarø-Hansen said in a statement. “Through CopenPay we therefore aim to incentivize tourists’ sustainable behavior while enriching their cultural experience of our destination.”
CopenPay launched on Monday with more than 20 attractions. The system is reportedly very easy for travelers to navigate: You can show a train ticket, arrive on a bicycle, or present other simple proof to redeem rewards. Regular updates on available attractions and rewards will be shared via the Copenpay website.
Those who bike to Copenhagen’s heating plant can ski on the building’s roof.
Wonderful Copenhagen
“We must turn tourism from being an environmental burden into a force for positive change, and one important step in this transformation is to change how we move around on the destination, what we consume, and how we interact with the locals,” Aarø-Hansen said.
Wonderful Copenhagen hopes to continue the pilot program after August and inspire other cities to introduce similar initiatives. The influx of international jet-setters to Europe has caused some bustling destinations to enact anti-tourism policies such as bans on new hotels and day-tripper fees. Hotspots such as Amsterdam, Iceland, Greece, and Paris have increased accommodation charges, while Venice has imposed a $5 per day tourism tax. Locals in Barcelona have even started spraying visitors with water guns to protest against over-tourism. The perks certainly sound nicer than the punishments.
