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Europe rewards responsible tourists as cities fight overtourism
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Culture & Society

Europe rewards responsible tourists as cities fight overtourism

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • European cities are shifting from taxing tourists to rewarding responsible behavior to combat overtourism.
  • Copenhagen's CopenPay program offers benefits like free bike rentals and discounts for eco-friendly actions.
  • Other destinations, including Exmoor National Park in the UK, are adopting similar initiatives to balance tourism's economic benefits with environmental impact.

European cities are experimenting with new strategies to manage overtourism, moving beyond taxes and restrictions to reward visitors who demonstrate responsible behavior. Copenhagen pioneered this approach with its CopenPay program, launched in 2024. This initiative encourages tourists to use public transport, cycle, pick up litter, or engage in community activities.

In return for these eco-friendly actions, participants can receive benefits such as complimentary bicycle rentals, free boat tours, meals, or discounts on attractions. The model has garnered significant international interest, with Sรธren Tegen Petersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, reporting numerous inquiries from destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America eager to learn about the program's success.

Exmoor National Park in the UK has introduced a similar initiative called "Pay with Care." This program rewards tourists for activities like collecting litter, observing wildlife, using bicycles or public transport, and promoting the destination online. Participants who complete one of four summer activities can receive a 20% discount at three Exmoor visitor centers.

From the launch of CopenPay last summer, we have met enormous interest from cities and tourism bodies across Europe, Asia and North America, all wanting to know more about CopenPay and our experience.

โ€” Sรธren Tegen PetersenCEO of Wonderful Copenhagen on the international interest in their responsible tourism program.

"We want to welcome visitors to Exmoor; tourism is very important to us here, but we have to manage it carefully," stated Dan James, Exmoor National Park's head of enterprise and communications. The park aims to strike a balance between the economic advantages of tourism and its environmental consequences. If successful, the "Pay with Care" program may be expanded next year.

Beyond environmental actions, some European destinations are also incentivizing the use of public transport. Ski resorts in the Alps offer perks to those arriving by train, and the Via Lattea region in Italy provides a 20-25% discount on ski passes for visitors who travel by train to Oulx. France also offers a 10% discount on ski passes of at least three days for train travelers.

We want to welcome visitors to Exmoor; tourism is very important to us here, but we have to manage it carefully.

โ€” Dan JamesExmoor National Park's head of enterprise and communications on balancing tourism and environmental impact.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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