Copenhagen Rewards Sustainable Travel with CopenPay

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Continuing their annual tradition that started in the summer of 2024, Copenhagen will reward you for being a “good” guest (tourist) with a fantastic regenerative approach. Are you curious how you can get freebies and more for being a sustainable traveler in Denmark’s capital? Let’s dive into everything you need to know about CopenPay, the reward system for climate-friendly tourism.

CopenPay builds on the city’s reputation as a top-ranked green destination. The scheme incentivizes eco-friendly behaviors like biking or picking up trash in exchange for cultural experiences, freebies, tour activities, and incentives to visit local businesses. 

“We must turn tourism from being an environmental burden into a force for positive change, and one important step in this transformation is to change how we move around the destination, what we consume, and how we interact with locals,” Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, said in a statement. 

This approach, leveraging positive psychology tactics, starkly contrasts with crackdowns on tourism across other European cities. Whether it’s Venice’s new tourist access fee, Barcelona’s looming ban on transient vacation rentals, or alcohol restrictions in the Balearic Islands, Copenhagen is paving the way in a welcoming and regenerative direction.

CopenPay, Copenhagen’s New Incentive for Eco-Travel Behaviors

CopenPay is an initiative that started in 2024 as a pilot program and has continued to grow each year. At first, there were just twenty-four businesses, attractions, museums, volunteer programs, activities, and more that voluntarily signed up for the pilot program – and that number has since tripled in size!

In 2025, the program ran for 9 weeks, and in 2026, it is set to begin on June 22nd and become a permanent, year-round program!

Each participating entity has a different set of criteria you must meet that will reward you with unique perks that help you explore the city responsibly. Each activity will get you around Copenhagen sustainably, showcasing the city’s highlights and uncovering hidden gems! 

Just a few of the perks you can expect to see from CopenPay include: 

• A free kayak rental with Green Kayaks if you agree to pick up trash and share it on social media while kayaking. 
• Ride your bike to the Level Six rooftop bar and get a free drink.
• Volunteer at Urban Garden Øens in exchange for a free vegetarian lunch.
• Join a Plogging group and get a free coffee and pastry.
• Bring your plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark and get invited to a workshop to turn waste into art!

Some attractions have limited availability, only welcome visitors on certain days of the week, or have other limitations, so it is vital to read the details to ensure you make the most of your experience.

As of 2026, visitors are also being rewarded for arriving in Copenhagen by train and for staying for 4 days or more!

The program aims not to increase tourism but to incentivize positive behaviors around the city, creating a green currency.

Travelers can expect more enriching and immersive experiences around the city, connecting them to Copenhagen. At the same time, residents will reap the benefits of cleaner waterways, fewer emissions, and a boost for local businesses. 

“Through CopenPay, we aim to incentivize tourists’ sustainable behavior while enriching their cultural experience of our destination. It is experimental and a small step towards creating a new mindset amongst travelers…” Aarø-Hansen added in their statement. 

How Can Travelers Participate in CopenPay?

Participating is easy as long as travelers read the fine print for each attraction to ensure they engage in appropriate action. From there, all one needs to do is show proof of their green actions.

So, hang onto those train tickets, snap pictures while biking, and share a trash haul on social media. Bring this proof to the participating business and exchange it for ice cream, more time skiing on a waste-treatment plant, free kayak rentals, or a workshop! 

Ganesh and I loved biking in Copenhagen, which has four times more bikes than cars! It is a safe city for cyclists with a fantastic urban bike network. I highly recommend skipping the car or taxi and biking around this beautiful city.

However, CopenPay is designed to be simple, building on the honor and trust system that, according to Visit Copenhagen, is ingrained in Danish culture. In a pinch, the honor system and good faith will get you through if you accidentally tossed that train ticket into the recycling bin.

Will This Regenerative Approach Work?

2024 was set to become a record-breaking year for travel and tourism, and those numbers have continued to rise since, with predictions that the global tourist sector is set to outpace other types of economic growth 1.5 times in the next decade.

Cities already dealing with unsustainable levels of mass tourism are continuing to expect more tension and pressure during peak travel periods, especially in summer.

Copenhagen welcomed 12 million international overnight stays in 2023, but rather than adopting more restrictions and fees, it decided to utilize an approach rooted in positive psychology. Positive psychology rewards desired behaviors, enforcing the type of traveler Copenhagen wants to welcome as a guest. 

By doing this, Copenhagen hopes to highlight how travelers can contribute to thriving destinations in exchange for receiving more enriching cultural experiences. The 2024 summer pilot program was aimed at testing its success and feasibility, with hopes that the city could adopt it full-time. 

In 2026, the success of the program is easy to see, as the program is set to run all year round with 100+ local partners involved, and many other destinations have expressed interest in developing the model as well.

“I am thrilled to see an initiative like CopenPay that combines our rich cultural life with a strong commitment to sustainability. By converting green actions into currency for cultural experiences, tourists are given a unique opportunity to explore Copenhagen in a way that benefits both the environment and the local community,” said Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen.

Regenerative tourism practices are emerging globally, from Kakadu National Park in Australia to Haida Gwaii in Canada. One thing they share in common is creating clear guidelines for how travelers should behave in ways that align with a destination’s unique set of values. This clear messaging can help destinations revitalize their culture, improve the environment, and offer more enriching experiences for travelers. 

For more information and the complete list of participating programs and details, visit the CopenPay section on Visit Copenhagen’s website.

Comment and Share

It is wonderful to see how much the CopenPay program has succeeded and grown since its inception. I’ve been to Copenhagen twice and would return in a heartbeat just to experience this unique system! 

• What do you think of the CopenPay program?
• Would this incentivize you to engage in more eco-friendly behaviors? Or is this too much effort for a free coffee and a pasty?
• What do you think of this approach compared to Venice’s Tourist Access Fee? Would you rather pay a fee to support sustainable tourism development or pick up trash?

Share your thoughts in the comment section. And if you’re heading to Copenhagen soon, make sure you let me know how it goes if you give this a try!