Copenhagen is expanding its CopenPay program this summer to encourage more eco-friendly modes of travel for visitors.
In response to global warming and increasingly harsh issues of overtourism, Copenhagen’s capital is extending and finetuning its CopenPay program. Rolled out in 2024, the program incentivizes holidaymakers to be green by choosing bicycle or public transport travel alternatives, with rewards such as free drinks, cultural sights, and reduced admission prices. The program will now return for nine consecutive weeks, with triple the number of activities and promotions targeting train passengers, according to DPA.
Travel Green, Get Rewarded
Last year’s pilot rewarded tourists for cycling, taking the subway, or just picking up litter. This summer, from June 17 to August 17, train passengers will be rewarded for coming by train with free bike rental, yoga classes, walking tours, and discounted entry to top attractions. The city is also incentivizing tourists to stay longer than one night, reducing travel-emitted pollution even further.
“Toursism leaves a significant carbon trail. We need to transform tourists’ attitudes and encourage more climate-smart decision-making,” is the view of Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s official tourism board.
Rethinking the Tourist Experience
By incorporating sustainable behavior into the visitor experience, CopenPay is helping to reimagine the way tourism works in Copenhagen, Wonderful Copenhagen head Søren Tegen Pedersen said. The program isn’t about hosting more tourists, he explained, but about allowing them to engage with the city more sustainably.
