Tourism Kelowna has been awarded platinum certification through the sustainable tourism program offered by GreenStep Solutions, a BC sustainability consulting firm.
The certification means that Tourism Kelowna has committed to sustainable practices that align with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Responsible, sustainable tourism is at the forefront of our team’s day-to-day activities, and we continue to improve and further our practices, policies and processes for the betterment of our local communities,” said Chris Lewis, director of visitor experience.
“Leading by example, through the key practices we’ve implemented to date, showcases the importance of sustainability to our organization and each member of our team.”
The statement explains that this commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism practices has been developing over the past four years.
The statement also points out that Tourism Kelowna is aligning with 93% of stakeholders according to the 2020 Stakeholder Survey and 87% of residents who feel that responsible and sustainable tourism is important to Kelowna.
Some of those initiatives that helped Kelowna be awarded platinum for tourism sustainability include:
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30 new solar panels on top of the Kelowna Visitor Centre that will generate about 26% of the buildings energy needs (a total of 50 panels)
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Since April, a tree has been planted in BC whenever an online or in-person purchase is made from the Visitor Centre – 5,000 trees have been planted thus far.
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Water bottle filling stations have been offered at the Visitor Centre and have diverted over 2,200 plastic bottles from landfills since September 2020.
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Kelowna Tourism partnered with 30 other tourism businesses in the Biosphere Adhesion Program.
Tourism Kelowna supports and markets the tourism industry, including over 400 local businesses, to strengthen the local economy and “enrich the quality of life for residents.”
