FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18th, 2024
KINGSTON, ONTARIO ACHIEVES GREENSTEP SUSTAINABLE TOURISM SILVER CERTIFICATION
(Kingston, Ontario, Canada) – Today, after a nine-month process, Tourism Kingston has announced they have been awarded GreenStep’s Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification, by way of a rigorous assessment, review, and verification process. The process requires the destination to assess their sustainability performance across four categories; environmental, socio-economic, natural and cultural, and management using GreenStep’s Sustainable Tourism Destination Standard. The Standard has been formally recognized as meeting the criteria for sustainable destination management by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and is in alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“We are thrilled to award Tourism Kingston with our Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification. Through their commitment to sustainable tourism, Tourism Kingston is leading the way in fostering a more responsible and conscious approach to tourism that supports the overall wellbeing of the destination and Kingston residents,” says Jenn Burling, Director of Sustainable Tourism, GreenStep
Following the destination assessment review, and through the submission of extensive evidence, a team of GreenStep assessors thoroughly evaluated the evidence to ensure acceptability in line with the requirements for Certification. Tourism Kingston has been awarded a silver level grading and has achieved the GreenStep Destination Certification designation. They now become one of a handful of destinations in Canada certified based on GSTC-recognized criteria.
Megan Knott, CEO of Tourism Kingston says, “Tourism is a vital part of the Kingston economy. By integrating sustainability into our offerings, we can create positive experiences and outcomes for both visitors and residents. Having GreenStep certification is an important component in helping us work towards long-term sustainability goals as a community.”
ABOUT GREENSTEP
GreenStep was founded in 2008 to help small to medium-sized enterprises measure and improve their sustainability performance. To date, the organization has worked with more than 5,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes, in a variety of industries such as tourism and hospitality, retail, professional services, and manufacturing. GreenStep Sustainable Tourism provides assessments, training, strategy development and certifications to tourism businesses and destinations. GreenStep is the only Canadian-based and owned provider of sustainable tourism certifications that are relevant to all tourism businesses and destinations with criteria recognized by the GSTC. For more information, visit www.greensteptourism.com
ABOUT TOURISM KINGSTON
Tourism Kingston’s mission is to promote Kingston, Ontario as a uniquely historic and hip destination to explore year-round. Tourism Kingston’s vision is to excel in creating, promoting, and growing opportunities for Kingston, Ontario to be a premier destination for individuals, groups, and businesses; to leverage tourism as a key driver of a healthy economy of Kingston; and to champion Kingston as a destination for local, regional, national, and international tourism.
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Contact GreenStep Solutions:
Angela Nagy, President/CEO
GreenStep Solutions Inc.
250-215-7714
angela@greenstep.ca
Contact Tourism Kingston:
Megan Knott, CEO
Tourism Kingston
613-453-4603
megan@tourismkingston.com