May 13, 2025, 8:51 am | Read time: 2 minutes
After a successful launch in 2024, the tourism organization Wonderful Copenhagen aims to encourage visitors to adopt more sustainable behaviors and reward climate-friendly actions this year through the environmental initiative CopenPay. TRAVELBOOK explains the details behind this initiative.
Since last year, tourists in Copenhagen have had the opportunity to be rewarded for environmentally friendly behavior. These rewards include free lunches, a cup of coffee, or even a complimentary kayak tour. During the four-week campaign, according to Time Out, bike rentals increased by 29 percent, tons of waste were collected, and 98 percent of participants gave a clear recommendation. Now the campaign is returning—bigger and longer than ever before: From June 17 to August 17, three times as many providers are participating, and the duration is doubling.
Traveling by Train Is Most Rewarded
The biggest discounts this year are for traveling by train and for extending stays to four or more days. Possible rewards include free bike rentals, yoga sessions, guided tours, or discounted admission to popular attractions and museums. The full list of participating attractions can be found on the official Visit Copenhagen website.
According to the official website, the campaign does not aim to attract more tourists to the city. Instead, tourism should “become a force for positive change rather than an environmental burden. Fortunately, there is a great willingness among tourists to make a positive contribution to the destinations they visit,” said Søren Tegen Pedersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen.
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More Sustainable Tourism with CopenPay
According to the Visit Denmark website, about 82 percent of people would like to live more climate-friendly, but only about 22 percent actually do so. The CopenPay initiative aims to close this gap and provide tourists in Copenhagen with an incentive to behave more environmentally friendly. This is intended to promote sustainable behavior and enrich the cultural experience for both visitors and residents of Copenhagen. This is achieved by converting green actions into a currency for cultural experiences.
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To participate and redeem rewards, one simply needs to provide proof of an environmentally friendly action. This can be done by showing train tickets or arriving by bike. Additionally, one can participate in cleanup efforts or volunteer in municipal operations. Photos of oneself engaged in these activities can also be submitted as evidence. However, the CopenPay initiative fundamentally relies on trust. This is not surprising, as Danes are considered the most trusting nationality in the world, according to PEW Research. Perhaps this is also why Copenhagen is the happiest city worldwide.