In an attempt to encourage eco-friendly travel, Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has introduced a new programme named CopenPay.
Passengers who opt to travel by bicycle or public transportation instead of driving or taking cabs will receive benefits like free museum entry, free coffee, and an additional 20 minutes to ski on a heating plant’s slope.
“What we do know is that there is a significant difference in the intentions of tourists before their arrival and after consumption,” said Mikkel Aaro-Hansen, the CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, while interacting with Euronews Green, the official tourism organisation of Denmark’s Capital Region. The official added further, “We know that four out of five of us aim to act sustainably, but only one out of five of us does.”
“We won’t be able to develop sustainable tourism until we close that gap. CopenPay’s main goal is to demonstrate to people that taking action to combat climate change need not be complicated. All of us are capable of doing it. Everybody has the option to act in a way that is climate-friendly and sustainable,” said Aaro-Hansen, while adding, “There are many things we can do in Copenhagen to change things.”
Copenhagen’s green plan seeks to close the gap between intentions and actions. Some 82% of respondents stated they intended to act sustainably, but just 22% have modified their behaviour, according to a report by the worldwide market research organisation Kantar.
Rather than focusing on increasing tourism, Wonderful Copenhagen emphasises that CopenPay is intended to promote sustainable behaviour “by changing green activities into pay for cultural experiences.”
The goal is not to boost travel. According to Aaro-Hansen, it all comes down to how you conduct yourself when visiting the locations in a way that is more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
“We hope that they actually bring that perspective back home and even start biking and start acting differently when they travel to another destination, instead of leaving it in Copenhagen,” Aaro-Hansen continued.
Copenhagen, one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe, saw over 12 million overnight stays in 2023, and if the current trend continues, the city will likely see an increase in tourists.
According to Wonderful Copenhagen, a 2017 research revealed that 65% of foreign visitors to the city used public transportation, with walking being the most common mode of transportation for the 35% of visitors who did not use it.
What Kind Of Freebies Are Available In Copenhagen?
According to Wonderful Copenhagen, a total of 24 attractions, including eateries and businesses that rent out kayaks, are taking part in the new environmental initiative.
Every Tuesday during the campaign, visitors will be able to take a free boat ride at GoBoat, one of the partner attractions, in exchange for picking up rubbish in the waterways.
GoBoat’s international growth partner, Mads Pilegaard Sander, told the Euronews Green, “We see it as a win-win situation where we can give something back to the city, also to the tourists that come to Copenhagen, where we can give out some experiences, but also get them to help us clean the waterways, which is also part of the whole idea of making GoBoat eco-friendly.”
Incentives for visitors to pick up rubbish in and around Bannegaarden, a food and culture destination in the heart of Copenhagen, include a complimentary lunch.
“My main reason for participating in this project is to preserve the environment around Bannegaarden. It is quite uncommon to live in a metropolis where untamed nature surrounds you. Thus, we want to try our hardest to maintain it that way,” added Bannegaarden partner Ida Marie Banke.
“I think this is a really important initiative, so I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people here and getting them involved in it,” Banke continued, “I think we do a lot to safeguard wildlife around and in the city, especially in Copenhagen.”
Participating in the litter-picking event in Bannegaarden was Panwipa Sukhagganond, a tourist from Thailand who was visiting her sister in the city, who said, “It’s actually kind of fun.”
“Because everything is so clean in Copenhagen, it took me ten minutes to gather a full bag of rubbish. It would have only taken me a minute at home,” Sukhagganond claims.
“I hope that in the future, people will be more aware of this and refrain from leaving rubbish lying around,” Sukhagganond commented, while adding, “I am interested in sustainability, so I wanted to join in this initiative and wish I could recreate it at home in Bangkok.”
According to her, the programme is a thoughtful and engaging way to support the neighbourhood.
“Your goal is to have a good time while visiting this exotic nation. Furthermore, it’s wonderful that you can contribute to giving back to the community,” Sukhagganond added.
While on a visit to Copenhagen from Australia, Andy Saunders learnt about CopenPay through a local acquaintance. After clearing up litter for roughly an hour at Bannegaard with his companion and his friend’s daughter, Saunders received complimentary crepes as compensation.
“I anticipated having fun. especially picking up trash and travelling with a small companion,” he remarked.
“It’s enjoyable in a way. It resembles an expedition. Oh, look, I found some more,” is how it appears. Thus, it was enjoyable to do,” he said further.
This is an experimental project that will take place from July 15 to August 11th.
Wonderful Copenhagen sent a press release saying, “Based on the evaluation, we hope to return CopenPay as a year-round, green payment experience within the economy and spread the concept to other parts of Denmark and the rest of the world.”
The Global Destination Sustainability Index previously placed Copenhagen as the third most sustainable travel destination worldwide.