The capital of Denmark has created a new way to maintain an environment-friendly city: incentivizing visitors to make better climate choices.
According to CNN, the “Copenhagen trial scheme” will run from July 15 to Aug. 11. During the pilot program, visitors who choose to bike, take public transportation or pick up litter will be rewarded with food, activities, tours and other exclusive experiences.
Rewards for good behavior
The initiative, CopenPay, is designed to help tourists make more conscious decisions when visiting. “All our choices have an environmental impact, so why not make conscious decisions that benefit us all and be rewarded for them?” says the website.
“Earn rewards at Copenhagen attractions ranging from a free lunch or a cup of coffee to a kayak tour or even a free entrance to a museum,” the website continues. “All you need to do is, for instance, bike instead of drive, help maintain the city, work in an urban garden, or pledge to sustainable behaviour.”
According to The New York Times, a 2023 study done by market research group Kantar revealed that 81% of consumers want to behave in a more sustainable way. Only 22% have actually made changes.
A system like CopenPay could “bridge the gap between the desire to act sustainably and actual behavior,” per the article, acting as a win-win scenario for both the city and the visitors.
“Our vision with CopenPay is to create a ripple effect,” Mikkel Aarø-Hansen told The New York Times. Hansen is the chief executive of the tourism organization Wonderful Copenhagen. “We hope that by showcasing the success of this and other initiatives, other cities around the globe will be inspired to find their way to incentivize more sustainable tourism behavior, ultimately leading to a more sustainable future for everyone.”
Some opportunities tourists will have include participation in workshops at the National Gallery of Denmark — where visitors can create art out of waste — per Business Insider. Those who arrive with plastic waste can participate. Additionally, visitors can ski down the sloped roof of the city’s heating plant if they arrive by bike or train.
Other tourism strategies
Other locations have developed other ways of managing tourists.
Venice, for example, developed a daily tourist fee for one-day visitors. As the Deseret News previously reported, the fragile infrastructure of the city has been threatened by tourism. The fee was implemented to promote balance as the resident population shrinks.
Additionally, the Japanese town Fujikawaguchiko was forced to block off a popular location with Mount Fuji in the background. The crowds of tourists gathering to take photos became a nuisance, especially when visitors littered and climbed on top of buildings to get the perfect shot.
Most recently, protesters in Barcelona participated in a demonstration against mass tourism, shooting water guns at unsuspecting visitors. Participants in the demonstration voiced their frustration over high costs of living and lack of housing, per the Deseret News.