Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organization of Denmark’s capital, has announced the launch of an innovative initiative aimed at promoting sustainable tourism: CopenPay. This pilot project, running from July 15th to August 11th, allows tourists to pay for various Copenhagen attractions through climate-friendly actions, transforming green efforts into currency for cultural experiences.
Recognising the need to change tourists’ mindsets and encourage eco-friendly choices, Wonderful Copenhagen has introduced CopenPay to bridge the gap between the desire to act sustainably and actual behavior. According to data, while 82 per cent of tourists express a willingness to act sustainably, only 22 per cent have modified their behavior accordingly. CopenPay aims to inspire visitors to make conscious green choices, rewarding actions such as cycling, participating in cleanup efforts, or volunteering at urban farms with access to enriching experiences throughout the city.
CopenPay offers a variety of incentives, including complimentary guided museum tours, free kayak rentals, and vegetarian lunches made from local crops. For example, visitors who bring plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark can participate in a workshop to transform the waste into art. Similarly, tourists who take public transport or cycle to Copenhagen’s iconic heating plant can enjoy a unique experience of skiing down its rooftop slope.
Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, emphasised the initiative’s importance, stating, “It is a core task for us to make travelling sustainable. We will only succeed if we bridge the large gap between visitors’ desire to act sustainably and their actual behavior. We want visitors to make conscious, green choices and hopefully end up getting even better experiences while they visit. Through CopenPay, we aim to incentivize tourists’ sustainable behavior while enriching their cultural experience of our destination. It is an experimental and a small step towards creating a new mindset amongst travellers and one among many initiatives we are doing to make travelling more sustainable.”
The simplicity of the system allows easy participation: tourists can show a train ticket, arrive on a bicycle, or present other simple proofs of green actions to redeem their rewards. This summer, all tourists are invited to partake in CopenPay, with regular updates on available attractions and rewards available at copenpay.com. Launching with over 20 attractions, CopenPay aims not only to enhance guests’ local experiences but also to inspire other destinations to adopt similar initiatives.
“We must turn tourism from being an environmental burden into a force for positive change,” said Aarø-Hansen. “With CopenPay, we want travellers and local attractions to focus on the changes and choices we need to make. Since travelling is international, our success depends on the choices of people and destinations elsewhere. We also strive to inspire sustainable behaviors and cultural appreciation worldwide.”
Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, expressed her support, saying, “I am thrilled to see an initiative like CopenPay that combines our rich cultural life with a strong commitment to sustainability. By converting green actions into currency for cultural experiences, tourists are given a unique opportunity to explore Copenhagen in a way that benefits both the environment and the local community. This aligns perfectly with our values and ambitions to promote sustainable solutions in Copenhagen.”
