Sustainability

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Our Recommendations for Festival Attendees

We are on a mission, asking people to join us in considering the impact that the choices they make have on the environment.  All the little choices we take to lighten our carbon footprint collectively can make a big difference so let’s work together… while still enjoying all the amazing experiences that Christmas in Killarney has to offer.

• Bring your refillable water bottle and reusable coffee cup.  Businesses all over Killarney will be delighted to refill for you.

• Come to Killarney by Public Transport, both the train station and bus station are in the heart of Killarney town just a walking distance to all the Christmas in Killarney events.

• There is a host of accommodation providers across Killarney to suit all preferences and budgets, we ask that you also chose one that has a sustainability ethos.

We are proud to support Ireland’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

With nature playing such a big part of our Festival and the essence of what Killarney is all about, it is extremely important to us that our environmental policies are up to scratch.  The team behind Christmas in Killarney are very aware of the waste and carbon emissions born from a few days of festival revelry and are determined to do our part to reduce this.

As part of our commitment, we aim to provide visitors with an immersive and authentic experience of Killarney’s culture and natural beauty. We believe that nature awakens the soul in mind and body, and we are committed to promoting responsible and sustainable practices that protect the environment and support our local community.

While creating this festival we followed Sustainable Tourism development principles; Inspiration, Passion, Respect and Partnership

Helping, supporting and guiding us on this journey at a local and national level are

OUR GUIDING PARTNERS

Killarney Coffee Cup Project

Businesses in Killarney want to protect our local environment and Killarney National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere reserve.
This action removes 1 million single use cups yearly that otherwise may end up in landfill or as litter. Single use coffee cups are typically not recyclable or compostable even when they state they are.

Killarney Hotels Sustainability Group

Our commitment to sustainability is reinforced by the activities of Killarney Hotels Sustainability Group.  This group is made up of 22 hotels in the Killarney area, representing over 2,500 bedrooms.  It is the first sector-based Sustainability Group in Ireland and the member hotels, represented by Owners and General Managers at each property all have sustainability at the core of their values.  All member hotels committed to reduce their carbon emissions by 25% and to eliminate Single Use Plastic from their operations.

National Park and Wildlife Services

The protection, conservation and restoration of our biodiversity is of paramount importance to Killarney National Park and to us at Christmas in Killarney.  We are very proud that Killarney National Park is a Biosphere Reserve and assure you that all programme activities have been designed and approved with the oversight and expertise of our Park Rangers and Management.

Kerry Convention Bureau & Kerry Tourism Industry Federation

With our partners, Kerry Convention Bureau and Kerry Tourism Industry Federation share the vision for the county of Kerry to be recognised as Ireland’s leading business and leisure destination for sustainability, community, social entrepreneurship and responsible tourism.

Kerry County Sustainable Tourism Strategy

https://www.kerryconventionbureau.com/sustainability/

https://www.discoverkerry.com/en/county-kerry-sustainability/

Failte Ireland

We understand that Christmas in Killarney is a key part of Ireland’s tourism offering, bringing people together for collective experiences that showcase the best of our country. Using the resources from Failte Ireland we will be incorporating sustainable practices into our events.

https://supports.failteireland.ie/climate-action/