Tourism - Copenhagen encourages tourists to sustainable travel
A free drink as a reward for the bike tour, collecting trash with the green kayak or an extra skiing round at the waste incineration plant: With a new campaign and a series of offers, the Danish capital Copenhagen aims to encourage tourists to engage in eco-friendly actions this summer.
As part of the initiative "CopenPay", tourists can earn rewards in bars, museums, and other attractions in the city by using the bike or the metro, or collecting waste in and around city parks, beaches, or waterways. Those who bring their plastic waste to the Danish National Gallery SMK can transform it into art in a workshop. The initiatives apply to locals as well.
Copenhagen, the capital of cycling - and also of "sustainable tourism"?
The campaign, according to the tourism organization Wonderful Copenhagen, does not aim to attract more tourists to the city. Instead, it aims to make it easier for travelers to act on their environmental awareness: Many tourists want to act sustainably, but few actually change their behavior, the organization stated.
Copenhagen now aims to bridge this gap by allowing tourists to take concrete actions that benefit the climate and the environment. "We want visitors to make conscious, eco-friendly decisions and hopefully have even better experiences during their visit," explained Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, the head of Wonderful Copenhagen. The tourism industry must be transformed from a source of environmental pollution to a force for positive change. A crucial step in this process is changing the way we travel to our destinations, what we consume, and how we interact with the locals.
Copenhagen has been striving for some time to be recognized as the "capital of sustainable tourism." This initiative is a pilot project that runs until August 11 and is intended to inspire similar initiatives in other cities around the world.
- Upon completing a bike tour in Copenhagen, tourists can receive a free drink as a reward, promoting eco-friendly behaviors within the city's tourism sector.
- To collect additional rewards, tourists can opt for a journey using a green kayak along Denmark's waterways, helping to preserve the Umwelt while enjoying sightseeing.
- The Danish capital encourages tourists to contribute to environmental conservation by taking part in municipal waste collection activities, adding an educational and rewarding aspect to their travels.
- By participating in an artistic workshop at the Danish National Gallery SMK, tourists can transform collected plastic waste into works of art, promoting tourism that reinforces sustainability and creativity.
- As part of Copenhagen's tourism vision, the city encourages tourists to consider alternative transportation methods, such as cycling and using public transportation, to reduce carbon emissions and contribute positively to the local climate.
