News
20 August 2025
European Cities Embrace Copenhagen’s CopenPay to Encourage Sustainable Tourism
News
20 August 2025
Adventure tourism
Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism
Cultural tourism
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Inspired by Copenhagen’s successful initiative, CopenPay, a growing number of European destinations are now adopting similar programs to promote more mindful travel. Over 100 cities have expressed interest, with major urban centers in Germany and Finland preparing to launch their own localized versions.
Topics
Albania
Armenia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
EU-27
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Montenegro
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Türkiye
Ukraine
Other
Academic / Research and VET Institutions
Business Support Organisation
Company with 250 or more employees
Cluster Organisations
Consumer Organisations
Cultural and Heritage Organisations
Destination Management & Marketing Organisations
EU Institutions
Financial Institutions and Investors
Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
International Organisations
Local Authorities
Media / Journalist Organisations
National authorities
Networks and Federations / Confederations
NGOs / Non-profits
Notified Bodies
Regional Authorities
SMEs (a company with less than 250 employees)
Social Economy Entity
Trade Unions
Other
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Specific types of tourism
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Adventure tourism
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Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism
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Cultural tourism
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Ecotourism
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Education tourism
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Festival tourism
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Gastronomy tourism
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Health and medical tourism
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MICE tourism
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Mountain tourism
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Religious tourism
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Rural tourism
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Sports tourism
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Urban/city tourism
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Wellness tourism
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Transition Pathway Strategic Areas
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Accessible tourism services
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Best practices, peer learning and networking
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Changes in tourism demand and opportunities
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Circularity of tourism services
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Coordinated information on travelling
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Cross-border travelling
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Digitalisation of tourism SMEs and destinations
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Equal and fair tourism jobs
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Funding and support measures
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Governance of tourism destinations
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Green Transition of Tourism Companies and SMEs
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Improving formal education
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Improving statistics and indicators
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Innovative tourism services
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Multimodal travelling
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Online visibility of tourism offer
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Pact for skills
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Promoting PEF/OEF methods for tourism
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R&I on climate-friendly tourism
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R&I on digital tools for tourism
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Short-term rentals
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Skills needs for twin transition
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Sustainable mobility
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Tools for data on tourism
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Tourism strategies
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Training opportunities
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Well-being of residents
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Business activities
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Activities of amusement parks and theme parks
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Activities of associations and other organisations supporting tourism
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Air passenger transport
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Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks
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Events catering and other food services
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Festivals, cultural and entertainment activities
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Gardens and nature reserves activities
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Holiday Housing / Apartments and other short stay accommodation
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Hotel and similar accommodation
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Mobile beverage services
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Mobile food services
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Museums
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Operation of historical sites
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Other
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Other accommodation
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Other amusement and recreation activities
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Other food and beverage services
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Other holiday reservation services
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Other tourism transportation activities
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Rail Passenger transport
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Recreational and sport activities
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Restaurants, cafes and bars (Food and Beverage serving activities)
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Road passenger transport
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Tour operator activities
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Travel agency activities
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Water (sea, coastal and inland) passenger transport
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CopenPay, first introduced as a pilot last summer and expanded this year, offers tourists the chance to access local experiences by engaging in environmentally friendly actions. For example, visitors can earn a free boat ride by picking up litter in the harbor, gain entry to a museum workshop by arriving on a bike, or receive a complimentary vegetarian meal by helping remove invasive plants.
The initiative aims to raise awareness among travelers about the impact of their choices and encourage them to give back to the places they visit. According to Søren Tegen Petersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, the program has sparked global interest, with cities across Europe, Asia, and North America eager to learn from Copenhagen’s approach.
As more destinations adopt this model, CopenPay is becoming a symbol of a broader movement toward responsible tourism—where experiences are earned not just with money, but with meaningful contributions to the local environment and community.
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