This Ultraexpensive Tourist Destination Is Getting Way More Affordable for Travelers
With its rich history, unbelievable food culture, Danish charm, and picturesque waterfront, it’s easy to see why Copenhagen remains a popular travel destination. If you’re headed to Denmark’s capital this summer, there’s good news: You can score plenty of freebies simply by being eco-friendly.
This month, the city rolled out a new initiative called CopenPay, which offers unique perks to visitors who participate in sustainable tourism through activities such as biking or walking instead of driving, picking up trash, or working in an urban garden. Those perks range from free lunch and coffee, to a free kayak rental, or even a free museum pass. All you have to do is present proof of your green actions, such as bicycles or train tickets, at one of 24 attractions around the city, which range from bars, cafés, boat tours, organic restaurants and more. (You can find the full list of participating businesses and what green actions they require on CopenPay’s official web page.)
“No matter if you ride a bike, use public transportation, or collect trash, you can spend your good energy to collect the listed rewards, and we trust you when you ask to pay with it,” the page reads. “After all, the only one you would be cheating is yourself if you miss out on doing good for our planet.”
Apart from being good for the planet, CopenPay is also a great way to save money on your trip. For all its charms, Copenhagen is a notoriously expensive city, so making your wallet go farther while enjoying travel experiences you might not have found otherwise is a win-win.
The initiative is on a trial run from July 15 to Aug. 11, after which it could be reintroduced as a year-round program following professional evaluation.
During an interview with Euronews Green, Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, the CEO of the tourism organization Wonderful Copenhagen, said that one major goal of the project is to encourage visitors to practice eco-friendly habits long after their trip has ended.
“The idea is not to increase tourism. It is all about how you behave at the destinations while you’re here in a more sustainable and climate-friendly manner,” Aarø-Hansen said. “We hope that mindset is not left in Copenhagen, but they actually bring it back home and even start to bike and acting differently when they travel to another destination.”
You can learn more about CopenPay and how to get involved with the initiative here.