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Dozens of popular European destinations have brought in fines, taxes and other restrictions on travellers in recent months, in an attempt to combat overtourism.
However, in 2024, Copenhagen took a very different approach. The Danish capital began rewarding tourists who demonstrate responsible and conscious behaviour through the CopenPay initiative.
The main aim of this scheme is to show travellers that climate actions can be much easier than they think, in an effort to promote sustainable tourism.
Incentives include providing free bike rentals, boat tours and lunches for travellers who help out in communal gardens, collect litter and take public transport.
Following Copenhagen’s actions, other European cities and destinations such as Helsinki and Bremen have shown interest in trying the same system.
“Since launching CopenPay last summer, we’ve been met by an enormous interest from cities and tourist boards from Europe, Asia and North America, all wanting to know more about CopenPay and our learnings,” said Søren Tegen Petersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen. “So far, we have shared insights on CopenPay with more than 100 interested parties.”
UK’s Exmoor National Park rewards sustainable tourists
The latest scheme to launch is in the UK. At Exmoor National Park, the “Pay with Care” initiative rewards responsible acts like collecting litter, recording wildlife sightings, arriving by bike or public transport, or sharing positive social media posts.
Visitors can benefit from a 20% discount at three Exmoor visitor centres if they engage in one of the four activities over the summer season.
“We’re all about welcoming people to Exmoor, tourism is really important to us here, but we need to manage it carefully,” Dan James, enterprise and communications manager at Exmoor National Park, told the BBC.
“We need to find a way of balancing people’s impacts, and what we are trying to do is encourage them to leave a positive impact.”
If the trial goes well during this peak season, there are hopes to expand it next year.
Rewards for train travel and longer stays
Popular ski destinations in the Alps offer rewards for arriving with green public transport. Via Lattea in Italy gives travellers who arrive by train to Oulx 20-25% off ski passes.
In France, rail passengers receive a 10% discount on three-day and longer ski passes for the Les Gets-Morzine and Portes du Soleil ski areas, as well as numerous discounts on ski hire, ski lessons, accommodation and other activities.
In Switzerland, travellers who choose to explore the country by public transport get free entrance to over 500 museums with a Swiss Travel Pass, as well as up to 50% off fares on most mountain railways.
In spring 2024, Normandy launched a low-carbon tariff which offered a discount of at least 10% on admission to 90 attractions and cultural sites. This applies to visitors coming to France’s northern region by bus, train or cycle and can be used at castles, museums, monuments and parks, as well as for bike rentals, canoeing and escape rooms, among other activities.
London‘sPlastic Free July sees visitors and residents rewarded with a free drink for participating in cleanups.
German cities trial reward schemes
The German city of Bremen trialled BremenPay in May 2026, which rewarded sustainable travel choices.
These included arriving by train, cycling and extending your stay in Bremen. By providing proof of these activities, like a photo or ticket, travellers could receive rewards like free city tours and coffee and reduced admission fees to tourist attractions.
Berlin also piloted a Copenhagen-inspired BerlinPay between May and June this year. The scheme was focused around the city’s waterways. Tourists who engaged in activities like litter-picking and cycling were rewarded with free activities and discounts.
Helsinki has expressed interest in introducing its own version of a rewards scheme. This is likely to have a particular focus on regenerative tourism and Baltic Sea restoration projects, in collaboration with other Baltic and Nordic destinations.
The scheme would also encourage tourists to take public transport and cycle, with rewards like free meals and discounted tours, among other experiences.
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