Berlin is the latest destination to announce the introduction of a rewards scheme for responsible behaviour, offering perks from local partners to visitors who have a positive impact on the city.
In an effort to deal with social faux-pas such as littering—with which the city has a growing problem—the “carrot not stick” concept aims to encourage tourists to get involved in local social projects, litter-picking, or contributions to community spaces. In exchange for their engagement, visitors will receive rewards such as free experiences or entry at participating museums, and reduced prices or treats at restaurants and cafés.
The “BerlinPay” scheme borrows heavily from an idea implemented in Copenhagen in recent years. “CopenPay” incentivises responsible or sustainable tourism, such as using public transport, with rewards offered by local stakeholders. According to a survey undertaken by destination manager Wonderful Copenhagen, since the introduction of the programme in 2024, 70% of visitors to the Danish capital have taken part in environmentally beneficial actions.
Berlin, a city that spent €13.1 million on cleaning in 2025, is hoping for a similar impact. The first year of its scheme will focus on the German capital’s waterways in particular, where problem littering covers a spectrum from the illegal dumping of bulky waste to flicking cigarette butts into the open.
Similar schemes have been implemented in Fiji, where visitors are invited to “give back” one hour of “Loloma time” to the community. Hawai’i has mooted the same with a “only a stranger for a day” concept, arguing that tourists increasingly want to feel a part of the places they visit, and that participating in good deeds triggers feel-good hormones and deeper connections.
Critics point out that people go on holiday to relax and escape obligations, as well as highlighting the role that residents, not visitors, should play in keeping their hometowns clean. But there remains some emphasis on local responsibility too in the approach Berlin is taking. It is targeting cigarette butt culprits with fines that have been increased more than three-fold to a minimum of €250, going up to €3,000 in some cases. Fly tipping can attract fines of up to €11,000, or €15,000 if the waste is toxic. More money is being spent on staffing to catch offenders too.
And of course, please don’t forget: you still pay the city tax on your hotel stay. So first you pay, then you clean. Sounds like a great deal. 😉 Or not? Judge yourself! #BerlinPay
— Kat_Concu (@ConcuFdp) April 15, 2026
Advocates of the BerlinPay programme point out data from Copenhagen proving what Hawai’i and Fiji say: that visitors do in fact demonstrate an appetite to do good deeds and connect with hosts and destinations while on holiday. “When people are on holiday, they are more open to new ideas,” said Rikke Holm Petersen, head of communications and behavioural research at Wonderful Copenhagen. Over 30,000 people have participated in responsible travel actions in Copenhagen thanks to the programme—and local stakeholders are seeing an uptick in spending. Bike rentals went up 59% in the wake of the scheme.
