Copenhagen, renowned for its picturesque canals and forward-thinking urban design, is now spearheading a novel approach to encourage sustainable tourism. Starting July 15, 2024, the city’s tourism office, Wonderful Copenhagen, will launch a pilot program called CopenPay. This initiative aims to reward visitors and locals alike for engaging in eco-friendly activities throughout the city.
The concept behind CopenPay is refreshingly straightforward: participants who partake in sustainable actions will receive tokens of appreciation from over two dozen participating businesses and institutions. These rewards range from complimentary kayak rentals and delicious Danish pastries to extended ski sessions on CopenHill, an innovative ski slope atop the Amager Resource Center.
For instance, travelers can join workshops at the National Gallery of Denmark where they transform collected plastic trash into art. Alternatively, volunteering at Oens Have, northern Europe’s largest urban garden, or at the historic garden of the Karen Blixen Museum grants visitors free meals or museum admissions, respectively.
Rikke Holm Petersen, the director of communications at Wonderful Copenhagen, emphasizes that CopenPay seeks to harness tourism as a positive force for sustainability while ensuring that participants enjoy memorable experiences. The program operates on an honor system, with some venues requiring simple proofs like photos of bicycles or public transport tickets.
The initiative’s success hinges on its ability to engage tourists actively in sustainable practices without resorting to guilt or strict regulations. Inspired by similar global efforts such as Hawaii’s Mālama Hawaiʻi Program and Palau’s Palau Pledge, Copenhagen’s approach underscores the city’s commitment to environmental responsibility and visitor engagement.
Holm Petersen envisions CopenPay as not just a short-term project but a catalyst for long-term behavioral change. By encouraging visitors to adopt eco-conscious habits during their stay, she hopes that these practices will extend beyond Copenhagen, influencing sustainable choices worldwide.
As the pilot program unfolds, Copenhagen anticipates evaluating its impact and potentially expanding CopenPay with more activities and longer durations in the future. With this initiative, the city is not only enhancing its appeal as a sustainable destination but also setting a precedent for other cities to follow suit in promoting responsible tourism.
In conclusion, Copenhagen’s CopenPay initiative represents a progressive step towards integrating sustainability into the tourism experience, demonstrating that environmental stewardship and tourism enjoyment can indeed go hand in hand.