On Tuesday the 21st of April, the Blue Flag International Jury met online to evaluate more than 4,500 beaches, marinas and tourism boats in the Northern Hemisphere that have applied for a Blue Flag for the 2020 season.
Images Copyright : Visit Åland
All Blue Flag sites are reviewed annually and awarded the Blue Flag for the duration of an operating season, which can last up to a full year. The International Jury reviews the applicants twice a year, in April for Northern Hemisphere countries and in September for Southern Hemisphere countries. This year, due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Blue Flag International Jury met online on Tuesday the 21st of April to evaluate the 2020 Northern Hemisphere candidates. Extensive preparation by the Blue Flag International team ensured that the online format did not interfere with the meeting’s quality and outcomes.
A highlight of the International Jury meeting was the decision to award the first Blue Flags in the Åland Islands to five marinas that meet Blue Flag’s standards of excellence in sustainability and environmental management. The Åland Islands is an archipelago of over 6,500 islands and skerries off the southwest coast of Finland that draws tourists with its wealth of history, natural beauty and outdoor activities.
The 2020 Blue Flag International Jury was composed of Peter Kristensen representing the European Environment Agency, David R. Green for the Coastal & Marine Union (EUCC), Birguy Lamizana representing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sophie Lewis for the World Cetacean Alliance, Bernard Combes for UNESCO, Jean-Michel Gaigné representing the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA), Erik Bech for the International Life Saving (ILS) Federation, Dirk Glaesser for the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Ivor Ambrose and Katerina Papamichail representing the European
Network for Accessible Tourism and Lourdes Diaz representing the FEE Board of Directors.
This year’s meeting demonstrated once again each Jury member’s strong commitment to the Blue Flag programme. Blue Flag International would like to reiterate its appreciation for their continued dedication, which ensures that all of the awarded sites worldwide represent the same level of excellence. The quality of applications and high level of standards continue to improve every year. As a result, there are more and more sites around the world that meet the rigorous criteria necessary to qualify for the Blue Flag award.
In addition to evaluating the Northern Hemisphere sites, the International Jury reviewed presentations from new countries that have been working to implement the Blue Flag programme in the near future. These candidates that are expected to join the Blue Flag network soon include Argentina, Chile, India and mainland Finland.
The list of 2020 Blue Flag awarded sites will be announced on the 10th of June. Before this date, Blue Flag International will announce the three winners of the inaugural Best Practices Competition. The theme of the 2020 competition is pollution, and the winners were chosen by the International Jury after evaluating the rest of the Northern Hemisphere applications.
The International Jury acknowledges that the worldwide COVID-19 crisis is going to impact the upcoming Blue Flag season in the Northern Hemisphere, and asks that all Blue Flag sites place local and national health guidelines above all other considerations. In these uncertain times, we must remember the important role that the Blue Flag plays in helping local communities and tourists identify safe and sustainable destinations. Thanks to the recognized excellence of the Blue Flag award, the public can be assured that it is safe to visit the sites when the Blue Flag is flying.