About CopenPay
CopenPay is a Copenhagen-based initiative that rewards tourists for making positive contributions to the local community. By doing good deeds, visitors can earn access to unique cultural experiences across the city.
In 2024, Copenhagen changed the agenda of tourism globally by introducing CopenPay as a pilot program where conscious actions became a currency, allowing visitors to earn free cultural experiences.
CopenPay was designed to encourage tourists to make more conscious choices. With international arrivals expected to reach 1.8 billion by 2030, it gives visitors a way to engage with Copenhagen in a deeply local way — turning travellers into active participants rather than passive consumers. Research shows a strong willingness among tourists to act responsibly and leave destinations better than they found them.
In 2025, CopenPay returned bigger than ever: tripling in size with 100 participating attractions across Copenhagen and running for 9 weeks.
"We’ve seen how many of our visitors seek different and more meaningful experiences. Tourists don’t just want to see a city anymore — they want to be part of it. CopenPay gave them that opportunity."
Søren Tegen Petersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen
Facts about CopenPay
- CopenPay is a nudging scheme that rewards tourists for good deeds
- Purpose of CopenPay: to raise people’s awareness about the choices they make when you travel
- First launched in summer 2024 as a pilot program, it was expanded in the summer 2025
- 30,000+ participating “voluntourists” since launch
- 100+ destinations worldwide have expressed interest in the CopenPay model
- 100+ local partners involved, including hotels, museums, restaurants, and attractions
- Bike rentals went up by 59% during the initiative
- 7 out of 10 participants reported changing habits back home
- 98% would recommend CopenPay to others
- 7 out of 10 want to leave places better than they found them according to a study by Booking.com
CopenPay FAQ
What is the purpose of CopenPay?
The purpose of CopenPay is to inspire and nudge travellers and raise awareness about the choices we make when we travel. We want to reward visitors for making more conscious choices when travelling, such as cycling, using public transportation, eating plant-based food etc. The new thing this year is that we also reward people arriving by train to the destination and people who are staying longer (4 days or more).
What is the concept of CopenPay?
The concept of CopenPay is to transform tourists’ positive actions into a currency for experiences. Instead of paying with money, visitors can “pay” through actions such as arriving by train, cycling instead of driving, cleaning up the harbour, or volunteering in an urban garden.
These actions are rewarded with free or discounted experiences like museum visits, guided tours, bike rentals, or vegetarian meals.
The goal is to encourage travelers to make choices that benefit Copenhagen and its locals, and to inspire visitors to leave the city better than they found it.
What are the design principles of CopenPay?
CopenPay is guided by principles that make the concept impactful, inclusive, and easy to adopt:
- Positive Nudging
- Accessibility & Simplicity
- Local Impact
- Partner Collaboration
- Scalability & Flexibility
- Transparency & Trust
- Inclusivity
How did we recruit and collaborate with local partners for CopenPay?
We positioned CopenPay as a win-win: partners could contribute to a city-wide initiative while gaining visibility and attracting new visitors. The message was simple—reward positive actions with experiences.
Before launch, we hosted workshops and meetings with cultural institutions, attractions, hotels, and other stakeholders. The goal was co-creation: shaping the system together, identifying relevant actions, and designing authentic rewards.
We encouraged partners to build on what they already do—initiatives that fit their DNA—so they didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. Rewards could come from existing practices, making participation resource-light and cost-neutral.
Throughout the initiative, we kept communication open—answering questions, sharing updates, and supporting partners to maximize engagement.
All partners were featured on CopenPay’s digital map and became part of a local network for knowledge sharing. We started with 26 partners in the pilot year and grew to over 90 in the second season.
Who is behind CopenPay?
Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organization in Copenhagen, organizes CopenPay in collaboration with a wide range of local partners, including attractions and the Municipality of Copenhagen. Travellers can find travel related content by Wonderful Copenhagen at www.visitcopenhagen.com and on social media as @visitcopenhagen
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