Copenhagen to reward tourists for environmentally-friendly tasks

International

Rewards include free lunch or a cup of coffee, kayak tour or free entrance to a museum, says city’s tourism board.

The tourism office of the Danish capital said on Tuesday that the city will reward tourists who take part in climate-friendly tasks.

“Copenhagen attractions reward climate-friendly actions,” the office said in a statement.

“All our choices have an environmental impact, so why not make conscious decisions that benefit us all and be rewarded for them?,” it added.

Introducing the pilot project named ‘CopenPay,’ which will be in force as of July 15 until Aug. 11, the office said the rewarding will be done via this application.

It further mentioned: “Based on the evaluation, we hope to reintroduce CopenPay as a year-round, green payment experience within the economy and broaden the concept to other parts of Denmark and the rest of the world.”

“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 statement said.

“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,” it noted.

Explaining the new application, the office said: “The purpose of CopenPay is to encourage sustainable behaviour and enrich the cultural experience of visitors and residents in Copenhagen by transforming green actions into currency for cultural experiences.”

“The campaign about CopenPay only runs in Copenhagen, and it is not intended to increase tourism,” it stated.

“With CopenPay, we’re empowering people to experience more of what Copenhagen offers while placing less burden on our planet,” the office quoted Mikkel Aaro Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, as saying.

“It's about creating meaningful and memorable experiences that are enjoyable and environmentally responsible,” he stressed, according to the statement.

About how the application will work, the office noted that to take part in it is a simple act.

“Tourists and residents can redeem rewards by showing proof of green actions, such as train tickets or bicycles,” it said, adding: “These actions include cycling, participating in cleanup efforts, or volunteering at urban farms.”

“Participants can show proof, such as train tickets or photos of themselves biking or participating in cleanup efforts,” it highlighted. “CopenPay is built on trust.”

“CopenPay encourages the use of bicycles, public transportation, and participation in environmental activities, which collectively reduce the city’s carbon emissions by promoting greener modes of transportation and waste reduction,” it emphasized.