Market Square (Kauppatori) at the Old Town pier in Helsinki, Finland

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Tourist taxes have long been used to tackle overtourism. This year, Venice, rather controversially, introduced a charge for day visitors. This tax ended in July 2026 but it could be reintroduced. Other destinations are trying a different approach: rewarding travelers for making more sustainable choices. From Copenhagen, where travelers can earn perks for cycling, using public transport or picking up litter, to Normandy and Exmoor, destinations are experimenting with incentives that encourage visitors to travel more responsibly. The idea is simple: instead of making tourists pay more for the privilege of visiting, give them a reason to leave a lighter footprint. And tourists do want to behave responsibly. According to a 2025 survey from Booking.com 69 % of tourists wish to do something positive for the destination they visit.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark, Nyhavn, Scandinavia, Europe

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Copenhagen’s “CopenPay” began as a summer pilot in 2024, launched by Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s official tourism organization, to encourage visitors to make more sustainable choices. What started as a short-term experiment has since become a year-round initiative, with more than 90 attractions and businesses taking part. Travelers can earn rewards by cycling or using public transportation, collecting litter, helping remove invasive species and taking part in other environmental activities. Copenhagen offers free boat tours, a sauna experience, bike rentals and even a free lunch to tourists for collecting litter, choosing public transport or helping out in a communal garden. The scheme has also expanded to reward longer stays, with visitors staying four nights or more eligible for other perks. Rather than presenting sustainability as a restriction, Copenhagen has turned it into part of the visitor experience, offering cultural activities, food and other benefits in return for making greener choices.

Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

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Berlin joined the growing movement towards incentive-led sustainable tourism in 2026 with BerlinPay, a pilot scheme encouraging visitors to make greener choices while exploring the city. Participants could earn rewards by traveling by bike or public transport, collecting litter and taking part in environmental or community initiatives. In return, they received perks including discounts and cultural experiences.

Exmoor, UK

Exmoor National Park, UK

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Exmoor National Park introduced its Pay with Exmoor Care scheme in summer 2026. Instead of charging visitors more, the initiative offers a discount as a reward for making a positive contribution during their visit. Travelers can receive 20% off at participating National Park visitor centers by taking actions such as traveling by bicycle or public transport, picking up litter, recording wildlife sightings or helping promote responsible tourism. The pilot runs through 30 September 2026, making Exmoor one of the latest destinations to experiment with incentives as an alternative to the traditional tourist tax.

Normandy, France

Honfleur Harbour, Normandy, France.

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Since 2024, Normandy has encouraged visitors to leave the car behind by linking sustainable travel with discounts at its cultural attractions. Travelers arriving by train, bus or bicycle qualify for at least a 10% off admission at more than 110 museums, historic sites and other attractions across the region. The scheme is designed to make lower-carbon travel more appealing while encouraging visitors to explore Normandy’s cultural heritage. It is a simple but effective approach: rather than penalizing tourists for driving, the destination gives them a financial incentive to arrive by more sustainable means.

The CopenPay Model Is Spreading

“Since launching CopenPay we’ve been met by an enormous interest from cities and tourist boards from Europe, Asia and North America, all wanting to know more about CopenPay and our learnings. So far, we have shared insights on CopenPay with more than 100 interested parties and as we aim to contribute to a positive change globally, we are happy to share,” says Søren Tegen Petersen, CEO at Wonderful Copenhagen.

The idea is also beginning to spread beyond the destinations already running schemes. More than 100 cities and tourism organisations have approached Wonderful Copenhagen about adapting the CopenPay model, with destinations including Helsinki and Bremen exploring their own versions. The appeal is clear: rather than relying solely on visitor taxes, restrictions or fines to manage tourism, destinations can encourage travelers to contribute positively through sustainable transport, environmental projects and community activities. Whether these incentives can deliver meaningful changes in behavior remains to be seen but the growing interest suggests that rewarding responsible travel could become more popular globally.