CopenPay is back, and it's turning climate action into a perk for summer tourists. After a successful debut last year, the program returns with triple the size, double the duration and a stronger lineup of sustainability initiatives. This season, green-minded travelers have even more reasons to choose Copenhagen.
Photo credit: Olgagorovenko, Depositphotos.
Known for its commitment to environmental policies, Copenhagen is already putting climate solutions into action and redefining its tourism approach. As visitors explore famous landmarks, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and walk around the city, CopenPay offers unique experiences and rewards, encouraging longer stays and participation in environmental efforts.
A new currency: Responsible actions
The World Travel & Tourism Council reported in 2024 that the travel and tourism sector contributed $10.9 trillion to global GDP, about 10% of the world's total economy. It also supported 357 million jobs, roughly 1 in 10 positions worldwide.
However, the environmental downsides of tourism are significant. The World Counts says that the industry often puts pressure on natural resources through overconsumption, especially in areas where those resources are already limited. Common issues include water scarcity, pollution, waste buildup and harm to local ecosystems. Over time, tourism can also lead to soil erosion, habitat loss and increased pressure on wildlife, which can sometimes damage the very environments that draw visitors in the first place.
That's exactly where CopenPay steps in. The initiative offers a practical response to tourism's environmental toll by shifting the focus from high-impact habits to low-emission alternatives. Instead of racking up costs, visitors earn access to experiences by doing things that align with Copenhagen's values, like taking public transit, eating plant-based meals and even joining a cleanup.
This year, CopenPay runs for nine weeks from June 17 to Aug. 17 and spans 90 attractions across the city. That includes everything from bike rentals and yoga to discounted entry at world-class museums like the National Gallery of Denmark and the Danish Architecture Center. More than just perks, the initiative encourages travelers to rethink not just what they do on vacation, but how they get there in the first place.
Rewards for traveling responsibly
Tourists travel to Copenhagen in all sorts of ways, from planes and cruise ships to buses and private cars. But transportation has a major environmental impact, and not all travel modes are created equal. In the words of Søren Tegen Pedersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, "The biggest climate impact from tourism comes from transportation. So, this year, we encourage travelers to take the train to Copenhagen. Furthermore, we want visitors to travel less but stay longer."
Travelers who arrive by train are rewarded not just with a lighter carbon footprint but with experiences that showcase the best of Copenhagen. Rewards include complimentary meals made from surplus food, free bike rentals, yoga sessions and guided tours at the city's cultural spots.
Visitors who collect flower seeds in the city center and plant them in designated green areas or pots get free entry to Kronborg Castle, and some travelers may even be invited to a dinner by JunkFood CPH, the nonprofit founded by Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
People arriving in electric cars also qualify for perks such as discounted parking. And those staying four days or more unlock additional benefits, like vegetarian meals, free bike rentals and more rewards tailored to longer visits.
"By integrating more responsible actions into the visitor experience, CopenPay is redefining how we in Copenhagen approach tourism. Rather than bringing more tourists to the city, the goal with CopenPay is to nudge our visitors and raise their awareness about traveling in a more sustainable way, exploring Copenhagen more responsibly while being rewarded with unique experiences," added Pedersen.
Stay longer, travel less
Today's travelers are rethinking the impact of their trips, with growing awareness of how tourism affects both the environment and local communities. CopenPay taps into this shift by encouraging longer, lower-impact stays over quick, high-emission getaways. The rewards program promotes slower, more thoughtful travel that allows visitors to engage more deeply with Copenhagen. The result is a better experience for the traveler and a lighter footprint on the city.
Copenhagen leads, others follow
CopenPay started as a small pilot last year and exceeded expectations by boosting sustainable choices and earning strong participant endorsements. Yahoo Finance reports that, in just four weeks, the initiative drove a 29% rise in bike rentals, led to widespread litter collection and earned a 98% recommendation rate from participants. Now, back at triple the scale, it has become a case study in how cities can engage visitors in low-impact travel.
But the ambition behind CopenPay stretches beyond city limits. Wonderful Copenhagen has since shared its results with more than 100 destinations around the world, hoping to inspire similar programs elsewhere. The idea is not just to change behavior during a single trip, but to plant lasting habits that travelers carry home with them.
"One of the great things about tourism is cultural exchange," says Søren Tegen Pedersen. "We learn a lot from our visitors, and in return, we hope they'll leave Copenhagen inspired to bike more, choose more plant-based meals and continue making more responsible choices wherever they are." The program encourages visitors to reduce their environmental impact while contributing positively to the places they visit.
A model for what travel can be
CopenPay proves sustainable tourism works when it's grounded in real actions. The program makes responsible travel easy and rewarding, without taking away from the experience. It's built on trust, shaped by local values and designed to inspire long-term change. As more cities look to Copenhagen, the future of travel seems more thoughtful, connected and sustainable.
Jennifer Allen, retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and writer, shares her adventures and travel tips at All The Best Spots. Living at home with her family, and the cats that rule them all, her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.
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