TrendWatching Daily | Innovations

Copenhagen introduces CopenPay, rewarding visitors for going green

Written by Liesbeth den Toom | Jul 9, 2024 9:54:00 PM

Copenhagen's tourism board is launching a new initiative called CopenPay, which will see local attractions offering rewards for green behavior. For instance, visitors arriving at the National Gallery of Denmark with plastic waste are invited to a workshop to turn it into a piece of art, while taking public transport or a bike to Copenhagen's iconic CopenHill grants a unique experience of skiing down the slope on the building's roof. 

The program is open to residents, too, who might opt for a free kayak rental in return for fishing litter out of the water, or a complimentary vegetarian lunch after volunteering on an urban farm. By incentivizing eco-friendly choices, CopenPay aims to bridge the gap between people's desire to act sustainably and their actual behavior. First running as a pilot, from 15 July – 11 August 2024, CopenPay currently lists 24 participating attractions. Depending on how the initiative is received, Visit Copenhagen plans to roll it out as a year-round program.