Locals in Barcelona took to the streets to protest against tourism. While some residents believe tourism is beneficial, some locals are frustrated by the number of tourists and the rising cost of living, reports CNBC. About 3,000 protesters participated in the demonstration on Saturday, July 6, 2024, which involved water guns, chants, and signs about how tourists should go home.
The frustration with overtourism is not unique to Spain. Cities and tourist attractions in Europe have implemented various measures, including fees, tourist taxes, and crowd control policies, to try to deal with overtourism and the negative impact it can have on locals.
Denmark's capital Copenhagen is now trying out a new program that aims to encourage tourists to behave better.
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The new program, called CopenPay, was designed to encourage tourists "to explore Copenhagen in a way that benefits both the environment and the local community," Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen said in a statement, as per AFAR.
The program rewards tourists for climate-friendly behaviors. For example, travelers might get rewards if they choose to bike instead of drive, give plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark, or volunteer at urban farms.
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As of now, 24 attractions in Copenhagen are participating in the program, meaning that they have rewards to offer tourists who engage in climate-friendly behaviors while traveling.
Potential rewards include free admission to an attraction, free lunch or coffee, or access to different cultural experiences.
The city is testing out the program from July 15 to August 11, 2024, which is peak tourist season. Denmark hopes that the program will show other countries how they can encourage tourists to travel more sustainably, reports AFAR.
Mikkel Aarø Hansen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen, said in a statement that CopenPay is "empowering people to experience more of what Copenhagen offers while placing less burden on our planet."
The tourist board's communications chief Rikke Holm Petersen acknowledged that the program is simply a "little step" when it comes to making tourism more sustainable, reports BBC.
However, the recent protests in Spain show that an increasing number of people are concerned about the negative impact tourists can have on the community and the planet.
When it comes to making traveling more sustainable, Hansen said in a statement that "one important step in this transformation is to change how we move around on the destination, what we consume, and how we interact with the locals."
