The challenge
Copenhagen wanted tourists to travel and behave more sustainably.
The case
Instead of only restricting tourists, Copenhagen's tourism agency, Wonderful Copenhagen, tried rewarding them. Its CopenPay pilot in summer 2024 offered perks such as a free coffee, lunch, kayak trip or museum entry to visitors who arrived by bike or public transport, collected litter or volunteered at urban farms. After the 2025 edition, 70% of participants said they planned to keep their eco-friendly habits at home, bike rentals among participants rose 59%, and satisfaction was 98%. In June 2026 the agency said more than 30,000 tourists had taken part since the start, and the scheme became permanent and year-round.
Why it worked
Positive incentives are cheap and popular, and they shape how visitors behave rather than how many come. The results are self-reported by the tourism agency and haven't been independently evaluated.
Sources
- EU Tourism Transition Pathways: CopenPay's second success: inspiring 70% of tourists to embrace eco-friendly habits.
- Wonderful Copenhagen / GlobeNewswire via Macau Business (2026). Copenhagen expands CopenPay year-round and takes tourist rewards global.
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