Exmoor launches scheme to reward 'responsible tourists'

A new "Pay with Care" scheme has been launched in Exmoor National Park to encourage tourists to give something back to the area during its peak season.

Visitors can earn discounts with sustainable actions like picking up litter, recording wildlife sightings, travelling by bike or public transport, or sharing positive social media posts.

The initiative offers visitors a 20% discount at three Exmoor visitor centres if they complete one of the four activities during the summer season.

The scheme takes inspiration from "CopenPay", a similar project launched in the Danish capital Copenhagen, two years ago.

Visitor numbers to Exmoor peak during the summer, but park officials said the economic benefits of tourism needed to be balanced with care for the landscape.

"We're all about welcoming people to Exmoor, tourism is really important to us here, but we need to manage it carefully," said Dan James, enterprise and communications manager at Exmoor National Park.

"We need to find a way of balancing people's impacts, and what we are trying to do is encourage them to leave a positive impact," he added.

James said the scheme was designed to recognise visitors who contribute positively during their stay.

He said he hoped the pilot could be expanded next year.

"We're trying it within our own centres this year, but what we're hoping is if it's successful we broaden it out to involve lots of other businesses."

Many tourist destinations have had to grapple with the effects of rising visitor numbers in recent years.

Exmoor's scheme has been modelled on a similar scheme in Copenhagen, which rewards visitors for environmentally friendly actions.

"Visitors can get free entrance to attractions, or a discount, a free cup of coffee, even a free boat or kayak tour," said Rikke Holm Petersen, director of marketing at tourism board Wonderful Copenhagen.

"We want to inspire a more conscious, sustainable mindset and behaviour amongst travellers," she added.

According to Wonderful Copenhagen, more than 25,000 people took part in the scheme during a nine-week period last year.

"When you try out a new idea you never know how it will go, but it's been a huge success.

"When you ask people who use CopenPay about it they say 'this should be in every city'.

"It has a high satisfaction rate, and a high recommendation rate," Petersen said.

Dr Andy Clegg, a tourism expert, said the success of the Exmoor 'Pay with Care' scheme would depend on how many people it could persuade to take part.

"It's a great example of how destinations can use creative marketing and behavioural incentives to encourage more responsible and regenerative tourism," he said.

He said the key test of the pilot would be whether it changed the behaviour of visitors who might not otherwise engage with sustainable actions, rather than simply rewarding those who were already environmentally conscious.

"Either way, it's a positive initiative that helps raise awareness of responsible tourism and encourages people to think about the contribution they can make to the places they visit," he added.

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