A vastly profitable initiative by the town of Copenhagen – urging inexperienced vacationers with perks to return rewards to return for his or her second summer time and observe in the remainder of the nation. The CopenPay program is a system that we’re grateful for making eco-friendly choices, resembling driving trains, strolling, driving bikes (bicycle-friendly cities have 4 instances extra bikes than vehicles), and environmentally pleasant actions.
“It spreads out like an underwater ring,” says Mads Osterguard, visiting Denmark. “Over 100 locations have contacted Copenhagen about this system.”
Consisting virtually solely of islands, Denmark is without doubt one of the most sustainable and socially accountable international locations on the earth, recognised for its progressive and progressive strategy to renewable vitality and local weather change adaptation. There’s Inexperienced Kayak, a nonprofit that freely lends kayaks to anybody prepared to take away trash from Copenhagen Canal, with ski slopes on recycled metal, concrete and aluminum buildings. So it is no shock that Denmark’s largest cities are encouraging guests to make inexperienced journey choices.
CopenPay, which runs till August seventeenth, is straightforward but efficient. To take part, verify this system’s web site for actions and rewards. Subsequent, if you wish to redeem the perks, present proof of participation in a certified exercise (for instance, clear your prepare ticket or your personal photograph). And in return, every enterprise pays a free perk.
This yr, this system runs twice as lengthy and presents 4 instances extra sights to select from. Choices embody three new necessary additions geared toward lowering greenhouse emissions. Rewards for vacationers staying within the metropolis for a minimum of 4 nights, or arrives by electrical automobile or prepare (partnership between Deutsche Bahn of Germany and Snälltåget of Sweden). Practice journeys, for instance, appeal to vacationers a free neighborhood dinner hosted by Junk Meals, a charity from Rasmus Mank, which has two Michelin stars and a Michelin inexperienced star.
This summer time’s Copen Pie version focuses on lowering crowds by encouraging guests to succeed in much less travelled locations outdoors the town centre. For instance, driving a motorcycle or public transport offers free entry to Shakespeare’s Hamlet dwelling, the UNESCO Citadel of Cronborg, within the coastal city of Elsinore.
Different new reductions and giveaways run the realm, from sustainability lectures on the College of Copenhagen to yoga periods beneath the palm timber at Crowne Plaza Copenhagen, to guided excursions on the Carlsberg Brewery (Sister of the Underground Arts Area) and the Danish Architector Centre, amongst 100 totally different Copenhagen experiences. Moreover, all sponsors from final summer time, together with ski slopes in Copenhill and paddling leases for inexperienced kayaks, have been carried over.
With expectations nicely above 5,000 members and 30% enhance in bike leases final summer time, CopenPay’s success speaks so much in regards to the world shift in the direction of sustainable journey.
“Copenpay sparked a world dialog about the way forward for aware tourism,” says Rikke Holm Petersen, director of selling, communications and habits on the metropolis’s tourism company Great Copenhagen.
Denmark has beforehand obtained Sustainability Awards, with two islands, Bornholm and Samso, beforehand named essentially the most sustainable islands by the European Union. Via Copenpie, environmentally pleasant Danes share their existence with their guests. And have you learnt who does not love the prizes and that you simply contributed to serving to the planet?
This text was initially revealed in July 2024 and was lately up to date on July 8, 2025 utilizing present data.
