Several holiday resorts in Europe have introduced strict rules to avoid unbearable tourists. Copenhagen is doing the opposite and rewarding visitors who show respect for the city's environment.
A free lunch, a drink, museum entry, and a kayak tour. These are some of the benefits tourists can enjoy when holidaying in Denmark's capital until August 11th.
But first, you have to either choose environmentally friendly options or contribute through work. This can involve anything from cycling instead of driving to picking up litter from the canal during a kayaking trip.
”We want to create meaningful experiences by transforming green choices into a currency that can be used for cultural experiences,” writes Mikkel Aarøe-Hansen from the official Copenhagen tourism board in an email to TT.
This goes against how tourists are treated in other popular destinations in Europe. In several cities, residents have protested against tourists whom they consider drink too much, are rowdy, and litter.
The criticism has, among other things, resulted in stricter alcohol rules, entrance fees, and a ban on walking around in swimwear anywhere other than the beach.
According to Robert Pettersson, a tourism researcher at Mid Sweden University, encouraging tourists with a carrot rather than a stick, as Copenhagen does, is not unique.
"I haven't heard of anything similar to what Copenhagen is doing, but one example is the Faroe Islands, which have invited tourists to work on restoring worn-out hiking trails while experiencing nature," he says.
”Information has a limited impact on us when we make our choices. Instead, one can nudge someone in the desired direction. This can involve some form of reward, but can also be done through legislation and prohibitions.” Rewards can be enough to attract a certain target audience as it has become increasingly popular to travel sustainably, says Robert Pettersson.
”During the summer, we are also reminded of extreme weather and heatwaves, which can motivate some to change their choices,” he says.
”A general trend is also that more companies are working with customer involvement, where customers contribute. This can involve volunteer work at festivals where you get free entry, which creates added value.”
Interest in the Copenhagen campaign, which began on July 15th, has already been considerable. In the very first week, for example, over 500 tourists had signed up for various cleaning programmes in the city.
”The aim is to inspire as many people as possible and hopefully encourage other destinations to introduce similar programmes,” Mikkel Aarøe-Hansen writes.
Source: TT-DI.SE
