Since 1953, The Canadian Tulip Festival has been celebrating the tulip, an international symbol of friendship and peace. The Canadian Tulip Festival is certified Silver with GreenStep Sustainable Tourism. Continue reading to learn more about their journey towards sustainability:
Tell us a bit about your business. What makes you different?
The Canadian Tulip Festival is the longest-running Festival in Ottawa. We celebrate the royal Gift of Tulip from the Netherlands to Canadians following WWII as a symbol of international friendship. The Festival preserves the memorable role of the Canadian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe, as well as commemorates the birth of Dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa during World War II—the only royal personage ever born in Canada.
Why is sustainability important to you/your business?
Being sustainable is vital for The Canadian Tulip Festival, as we are here to celebrate Canada and our relationship with the Netherlands. This celebration is held entirely outdoors and relies on the beauty of mother nature, along with our staff, volunteers, and partners to put on a wonderful display of tulips each spring. By following our sustainability goals, we will be able to continue this celebration with all Canadians for many years to come.
Why did you join GreenStep Sustainable Tourism?
The Canadian Tulip Festival joined the GreenStep Sustainable Tourism to ensure that we are following the best practices to be a sustainable tourism event for all Canadians, as well as to highlight opportunities for improvement, helping us to form an action plan for continued success on our sustainability journey.
What sustainability related projects, policies or initiatives do you most want travelers to know about?
The Canadian Tulip Festival has identified nine sustainable development goals where we are able to have an active impact. They can be found here: tulipfestival.ca/sustainable-development-goals
What are some goals and/or actions you plan to take in the future to further increase the sustainability of your business?
We are working on switching to green generators to manage the Festival’s various energy needs. It is our hope that we will be in this position within the next five years. This effort alone would represent the largest reduction in the Festival’s environmental footprint and completely eliminate the use of gas powered generators currently required to power its needs as we move towards net zero impact.
To learn more about Canadian Tulip Festival – visit: tulipfestival.ca
