Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander has officially opened the 59e edition of the world famous international flower exhibition of Keukenhof in Lisse, The Netherlands. As a member of the International Olympic Committee the Royal Highness cut a ribbon, supported by the Honorable Ambassador of the People Republic of China in the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs Xue Hanqin, the vice mayor of Beijing City, Mr Niu Youcheng, and the chairwoman of the Dutch Olympic Committee, Mrs Erica Terpstra. The latter, an Olympic swimming champion of Tokyo 1964, was more or less an opening veteran since she performed in a similar ceremony in 1996.

The emphasis on sports did have a reason. The Keukenhof exhibition selected ´China – The 2008 Olympics, Beijing´, as this years main theme. This influenced the opening programme. Amongst others the Chinese MTV Award winner 2007 “China Girls” performed a very special concert, being a mixture of both Chinese and western classic and pop music, played on a electrical violin, an electrical cello, a flute as well as an erhu, the traditional Chinese knee violin.

According to Keukenhof general manager, Mr Piet de Vries, the flower exhibition has put as much as possible attention to the cultural and historical influences of China when outlining the theme. “Not only we use events, the so called inspiration gardens and various flower shows, but made alive an huge Chinese dragon as well. Through planting not less than 24,500 tulips and muscari flowers a 15 by 10 metres mosaic of this traditional symbol for a new year developed,” he says.

Keukenhof 2008 is in full swing which will last during the opening period from March, 20th, till May, 18th. “During these months a wide range of activities on the interface of culture and nature has been organised, which makes it interesting to visit our exhibition more than once,” Mr Walter Jansen, chairman of the board of Keukenhof Foundation stated. “In eight opening weeks 16 very special flower shows will be held our four pavillions. Some of the product groups we be exhibited during the entire opening.”

The Keukenhof programme consists the well/known successes like the Easter Hat Parade [this time of course with ‘ China in town’ as the main theme] as well as the specific thematic exhibitions. ´China – The 2008 Olympics, Beijing´ will be recognizable in one of the gardens for which the Forbidden City inspires, an exposition of pictures of common Chinese street live and an Olympic show. During parc opening several flower bulbs will be given either a Chinese or Olympic name, a real Chinese tea pavillion as well as an Olympic pub will be operated and many Olympic rings in dry bulbs will be risen from the ground.

Chinese tourists rank Keukenhof traditionally in the Top Five of Europe´s most popular tourist events. Some 3.3 percent of the 25.4 million foreign guest visiting The Netherlands passes Keukenhof ticket box, evidencing the slogan ´You don´t have seen Holland when not visiting Keukenhof´. Two-third of the approx. 840,000 annual visitors, wanting to behold the result of 7 million flower bulbs in magnificent majesty, origines from abroad. One out of four domiciles Asia.