Spain is worldwide leader in beach cleanness and sustainability
In 2016 Spain won 686 “Blue Flag” awards, a record number of ecological quality certificates in the history of FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) programme. Since June, one in five Spanish beaches will get a prestigious award. Moreover, Catalonia has again become the region with the biggest quantity of clean beaches, it has obtained nine more awards in comparison with the previous year. Catalonia is followed by Valencia, Murcia, Asturias, the Basque Country and the Canary Islands. The Balearic Islands, on the contrary, have lost the biggest number of flags, 12 in comparison with 2015. Galicia has lost 8 certificates, Andalusia has lost 2.
International Noncommercial Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) carries out beach and port quality examinations in almost 50 countries yearly. In order to fit the “Blue Flag” criteria, beaches have to meet strict cleanness and ecological safety standards. On top of eveything else, the presence of a blue quality certificate guarantees that:
- the beach is regularly cleaned,
- the cleanness of water is controlled by weekly tests,
- beach-rescue services provide the visitors with safety and constant surveillance.
When assessing beaches, about thirty criteria are applied, which are getting stricter year after year. One more important fact is that the awards are not given once and forever. It is necessary to demonstrate the cleanness and sustainability of the beaches yearly, otherwise the award will be lost.
Spain has been the absolute leader among all the participant countries for many years. In comparison, the beaches and ports of France have obtained 498 awards, 465 have been given to Turkey, Greece has got 439 awards, and Italy has been awarded 359.
Many tourists all over the world rely on the presence of “Blue Flags” when choosing a vacation destination and planning their trips. Isabel Borrego, responsible for the touristic sector in Spain, mentioned in her speech that the quantity of eco-awards Spain has obtained distinguishes it from other touristic destinations. Borrego also encouraged the citizens to maintain Spanish beaches clean and ecological, which is very important ahead of 2017, the year of eco-tourism announced by World Tourism Organization.
The official Blue Flag website: http://www.blueflag.global/
