Copenhagen to reward ecological actions with gifts. July 14, 2024

City of Copenhagen Pixabay

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Copenhagen will reward ecological actions with gifts.

The eco-city of Copenhagen plans to reward visitors and locals for good ecological actions - such as picking up litter or taking the bus - with free food, coffee, or cultural activities.

The Danish capital is due to launch its scheme on Monday, which will allow people to request rewards by showing proof, such as a train ticket or a photo of themselves riding a bike, although the system will be based mainly on trust.

The so-called CopenPay bonuses include a kayak or boat ride, a vegetarian meal, a ticket to a museum, or a ride on an electric bike - free of charge, the Copenhagen tourist office said.

"It's a fundamental task for us to make travel sustainable. And we will only succeed if we bridge the large gap between visitors' desire to act sustainably and their actual behavior," said the tourism body's CEO, Mikkel Aaro-Hansen.

The scheme runs until August 11 and allows participants to choose from 24 attractions.

The reaction from the public has been "extremely positive", although some disappointed visitors "wish the scheme had been in place during their stay", Rikke Holm Petersen, director of communications at the Copenhagen tourist office, told AFP.

She said that the initiative alone could not offset the environmental impact of tourism.

More than 100,000 passengers flew into Copenhagen in June, resulting in a much higher carbon footprint than travel by bus or train, according to airport data.

"The environmental burden of transportation to and from Copenhagen is much more significant than that of local transportation," said tourism website VisitCopenhagen.

"We have chosen to limit our advertising efforts to Copenhagen Airport, the central station, and within the city itself, rather than carrying out marketing campaigns abroad," said Petersen.

The tourist office will consider extending the scheme beyond the city - perhaps even abroad - if it proves successful.

"We hope to reintroduce CopenPay as a year-round green payment experience within the economy and extend the concept to other parts of Denmark and the rest of the world," according to the VisitCopenhagen website.

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