A thorough elaboration of a comprehensive initiative (so far in the form of a preliminary concept) called BerlinPay.  

The project, aimed at the summer period, is designed to encourage tourists in the capital to carry out environmentally significant actions. From their personal hands‑on help in cleaning urban areas to active involvement in events and campaigns initiated by Berlin residents. In substance, all of these are intended to promote the city’s «sustainable development», which implies a balance between economic progress, care for the environment and the improvement of people’s quality of life. It is expected that the full project concept of BerlinPay will be presented in its final form in May of this year. 

«Philosophy» and the fundamental principles for implementing this project in the capital belong to the official tourist organization Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH (operating under the brand Visit Berlin since 1993), which is engaged, among other things, in organizing and holding congresses, conventions, conferences, etc.  

As partners in preparing this project the following are being involved: the Senate Department of Berlin for Economics, Energy and Enterprises (Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe), numerous restaurateurs, hotel administrations, cultural and educational centers, transport firms and companies, tourist service providers offering services related to organizing leisure, entertainment, dining and other aspects of recreation.

At the moment special attention is being paid to finding establishments and organizations connected with water resources. And not by chance. According to the overall concept the BerlinPay project should correspond to the theme of the «Year of Water Tourism in Berlin» 2026.     

It is precisely thanks to partner participation in BerlinPay that tourists will be offered corresponding «bonus rewards» for taking part in the mentioned environmental litter‑collection activities. These include reduced admission to exhibitions and museums, discounts when choosing certain dishes and drinks in restaurants (or even selectively free), special conditions for participating in city tours, and much more. 

It would be a great exaggeration to claim that the project BerlinPay is unique. Something similar has long been in use in some countries. Among the most successful programs of this format is CopenPay (operating in Copenhagen since 2024). Here, for cleaning up litter, tourists receive rewards in the form of free boat trips and bicycle rentals. Or in the form of free museum visits and participation in city tours.

But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. There are those who view such ideas with a degree of skepticism. If you look at how it works in other countries, you can single out several key points on which success depends:

-   an effective solution to the problem of litter in large cities requires comprehensive, legally enshrined measures. This includes modernizing infrastructure, conducting targeted environmental education campaigns and strengthening enforcement against violations;  

-   it is important to ensure sufficient funding for cleaning and to set up efficient industrial waste processing; 

-   if the waste collection system is not well established (a lack of containers, bins, qualified personnel), tourists’ efforts will be insufficiently effective. Proper allocation of resources in this regard is crucial; 

-   the perception of a «clean city» is subjective and can vary greatly among tourists;

-   often the reward system, for example offering discounts to tourists for cleaning up litter, proves insufficiently motivating and does not meet their expectations.

There are grounds to assume that the creators and participants of the BerlinPay initiative fully recognize all the mentioned nuances in implementing the project.