Tourism Blue Flag project inspires youth in South Africa

Find out how the Tourism Blue Flag (TBF) project has impacted the lives of the 200 youth who are enrolled in it. Empowerment and education are some of the tools that helped the youth grow substantially within this project, and inspire them in their future careers. The TBF project was initiated and funded by the National Department of Tourism and implemented by WESSA, our Blue Flag National Operator in South Africa.

Blue Flag National Operator Meeting 2018

Each year, all Blue Flag National Operators from the network meet to discuss and exchange ideas about the technicalities of the programme, the strategy, best practices and other issues. This year the meeting took place in Zakynthos, Greece.

Over 60 participants from 43 countries attended the two-day meeting. The focus this year was on developing again strong links between the Sustainable Development Goals from the UN and other new challenges that the Blue Flag programme will be taking on in the near future.

We would like to thank our Blue Flag National Operator in Greece, The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, for hosting the meeting this year, to the Greek Minister of Tourism, Elena Kountoura, for opening our meeting and all the participants who brought new ideas and excitement to the Blue Flag programme.

Pictures: Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature

Blue Flag official ceremony and meetings.

Blue Flag presented the award for its fifteenth season in Puerto Rico

Before a large group of attendees Blue Flag celebrated its fifteen consecutively seasons in the island. The official ceremony, sponsored by the Tourism Company, distinguished three beaches, three sustainable tourism boat companies and one marina that received the flag for the new season. It has been a difficult year not only to Puerto Rico but also to the eastern Caribbean after two major hurricanes affected the zone. The opportunity to highlight and celebrate this achievement is very significant not only to Blue Flag but also for the local community.    

With the presence of the municipalities, members of the press, awardees’ staff and friends the flag was presented during the night of the 8th of November with a cocktail in emblematic Old San Juan. The beaches that received the flag were Balneario El Escambrón in San Juan, Balneario de Carolina, for its fifteenth consecutive occasion, and for the first time the Balneario Puerto Nuevo in Vega Baja. Marina Puerto del Rey ratified under the marina’s category, while in the sustainable boating tourism operators both Bellaventuras and East Island Excursions revalidate while a new operator, Island Venture Excursions, emerged. The award application is voluntarily for any beach, marina or tourist boat operator that meets the internationally established criteria.

Blue Flag is the eco certification of quality with greater extension and implantation worldwide. The presence of this award at a local level positions the island as a destination with better offerings for travelers, with beaches and facilities that meet strict criteria that involves ensuring water quality, safe and adequate facilities for its users including the ones with special needs and also environmental education activities to its visitors. Not only does Blue Flag manage to engage beach, marine and boat managers towards sustainable operations and demonstrate their corporate social responsibility, it also directly involves the community that benefits from the educational activities offered during the season.

Preparing the coming season in the Northern Hemisphere: Blue Flag technical meeting in Italy

As every year at the end of October the Blue Flag technical meeting  make the new campaign starting. The meeting, hosted by the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport saw the participation of local referent of Blue Flag awarded sites and also municipalities members that are starting to follow the way of the sustainability set to continuous improvement, as required by the programme.

With more than 260 representatives of the Municipalities present, all the topics related to the Blue Flag Program and the news for 2019 were dealt. Every year during the technical meeting a training session is held, dedicated to the issue of the accessibility of the beach and the services for disabled people for this year. Regulatory and structural aspects were deepened sharing the best practices.”

Destinations for All Summit: The Accessible Tourism world met in Brussels this week, Blue Flag International was there.

On 01-02 October 2018, Brussels-based non-profit organisation, CAWAB, hosted the 2nd World Summit on Accessible Tourism. Non-profit organisations, public entities and companies met and shared best practices from all around the world in the theme of accessible tourism.

Accessibility affects people with disabilities and their families, but also elderly people (a constantly growing portion of our societies), families with young children, pregnant women, parents with pushchairs, people with a plaster cast, and any other person with specific needs.

If we compare tourism to a chain, it is made of several links including arrival, accommodation, restaurants, shopping, transport, and tourist attractions.

Blue Flag International was present and gave a presentation at the panel “Territory labelling program”. A short overview of the Blue Flag programme on a global scale, the Foundation for Environmental Education behind the programme and the next steps towards working on a broader view and requirements on accessibility within the certifications for the future.

With more than 400 participants, from 40 countries, Destinations for All summit provided knowledge, best practices and potential partners for the future.  

Blue Flag represented at the Georgian International Maritime Forum

Blue Flag was represented at the Georgian International Maritime Forum (GIMF) last month by Almila Kindan Cebbari, the Blue Flag National Operator from Turkey. The purpose of the September 10-14 forum was to discuss how to balance essential shipping activities with ocean health and sustainability.

The forum was conducted under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia, and was attended by high-level representatives from many international organisations.

Experts from around the world convened to discuss the topic at hand. Although maritime transport issues were the primary focus of the forum, sustainability was at the center of many of the presentations and workshops.

Amila was present to represent Blue Flag in a side session titled “Investing in Sustainable Small-Scale Cruising for the Black Sea.” She shared a presentation about the Blue Flag programme, with a particular emphasis on Sustainable Boating Tourism Operators. Amila was also interviewed by a local television station about the potential for Georgia to grow its coastal and marine tourism through participation in Blue Flag.

Georgia is currently the only country on the Black Sea that does not participate in the Blue Flag programme. Amila’s presentation was well-received, and prominent Georgian stakeholders have since expressed interest in bringing Blue Flag to the country.

Press Release: Blue Flag awarded to 137 sites in the Southern Hemisphere

The International Blue Flag Jury meeting took place on 5 September 2018, roughly a year after Hurricane Maria violently hit Puerto Rico and Hurricanes Irma and Jose devastated the Caribbean Islands and parts of the USA in September 2017. Among the countries proudly flying the Blue Flag in the region, Sint Maarten and the US Virgin Islands are still working to reestablish the Blue Flag criteria in the wake of the storms.

The International Jury awarded the Blue Flag to 137 sites in the Southern Hemisphere for the 2018-2019 Blue Flag season, including 96 beaches, 19 marinas and 22 boats. As of 2018, the Blue Flag flies over 3,783 beaches, 698 marinas and 77 boats around the world.

The International Blue Flag Jury would like to warmly welcome the return of the United Arab Emirates, who can once again boast Blue Flag awarded sites after two years of absence from the programme.

The full list of awarded sites will be published on 1 November on the International Blue Flag website. Users can employ the website’s new maps and search features to find the Blue Flag awarded sites that perfectly meet their needs.
 
The next meeting of the International Blue Flag Jury will take place on 9 April 2019 to award beaches, marinas and boats from the Northern Hemisphere.
 
The International Blue Flag Jury is composed of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Lifesaving Federation (ILS), the European Environment Agency (EEA), the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA), the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA), the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).  You can find out more about the International Jury members on Blue Flag’s website.
 
Blue Flag greatly appreciates the support of its sponsor and worldwide flag producer Semaphore, as well as the support of its partner AccessRec, a company that produces a range of products designed to make beaches more accessible to people with disabilities.
 

Blue Flag International and ENAT sign Memorandum of Understanding

Blue Flag International teams up with European Network for Accessible Tourism to promote Beaches, Marinas and Boat-based activities for All. 

The Foundation for Environmental Education, through its Blue Flag certification, long recognised as the global benchmark for sustainable beaches, marinas and boat-based activities around the world, has signed an agreement with ENAT – The European Network for Accessible Tourism non-profit association to work together to promote access for all visitors to beaches, marinas and boat-based activities.

While the Blue Flag standard already includes a number of requirements related to access provisions for persons with disabilities, the partners recognise that destinations can do more to improve beach, marina and boat-based experiences for these and, indeed, all visitors by providing suitable technical measures and assistance, where needed.

ENAT will share its wide-ranging experience in accessible tourism with Blue Flag International/Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), having worked over the last ten years to raise awareness, conduct research and develop solutions for better access in the tourism sector. ENAT’s partners, clients and members include the UN World Tourism Organisation, the European Commission, European Parliament, ISO, national and regional tourism authorities, tourism enterprises and organisations of people with disabilities.

Speaking after signing their new Memorandum of Understanding, Blue Flag International acting Director, Johann Durand said: Destinations that hold the Blue Flag have accepted the challenge and have a positive attitude to do better, both for the environment and for their visitors.

Accessibility is a key area where good advice is needed – both for planning infrastructure in a sensitive but effective way and for providing services to ensure the health, comfort and safety of visitors with access requirements.

We see our new cooperation with ENAT as a positive step towards achieving full inclusion – not just in word but also in practice at every Blue Flag destination.

ENAT President, Anna Grazia Laura, remarked: We are especially proud and pleased to launch the cooperation with Blue Flag. It is our common view that access is a global issue, which must be a priority for all tourism destinations and communities.

We are looking forward to spreading this message and showing, with many good examples, how families, seniors, people with disabilities or with long-term health conditions - indeed, all visitors and citizens – can benefit from leisure experiences in sea and lakeside environments.

We recognise Blue Flag’s reputation for authoritative and technical leadership in this area and we look forward to supporting the foundation and its global network in relation to policy, standards and education.

To find out more about ENAT check out their website. 

Best Practice: Palafrugell municipality in Spain enabling marine life at Posidonia meadows

With more than 570 awarded beaches, Spain is the county with the highest amount of Blue Flag awarded sites worldwide. Three of these beaches belong to the municipality of Palafrugell in Girona. Since 2011 they actively participate in the monitoring of nearby Posidonia meadows, leading to many positive developments for local marine species.

Posidonia is a seagrass that grows in meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. It shelters various species of marine plants and animals, making these meadows an ecosystem with high biodiversity. This seagrass also serves as a nursery for many fish species. Posidonias have strong roots that retain sand and therefore act as a natural barrier protecting the coast from storms.

Parafrugell municipality elaborates maps of the seabed, enabling them to place buoys where they do not harm the Posidonia. In order to additionally protect the meadows, environmentally friendly buoys are promoted. Thanks to these actions, they have observed that some areas of Posidonia meadows have been restored.

The municipality also collaborates with other underwater projects, such as the examination of fan shells (Pina nobilis) populations affected by a parasite. Fan shells are protected molluscs that inhabit Posidonia meadows and their growth depends on a good state of the meadows. Pina nobilis is the biggest mollusc of the Mediterranean and can grow up to a meter.

Blue Flag awarding ceremonies for 2018 season: Part 2

Blue Flag International is happy to announce the sites awarded for this coming season 2018. We would like to congratulate all countries and municipalities that have successfully awarded the Blue Flag to local beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators. A number of countries have sent us information and pictures of the awarding ceremonies. We would like to share stories and pictures from Spain, The Netherlands and Turkey with you. 

Press Conference to announce Spanish Blue Flag sites 2018

From left to right: Jose Palacios (VicePresident of ADEAC), Cayetano Ramos (Major of Orellana la Vieja, the first Blue Flag in continental waters in Spain) and Virginia Yuste (National Operator for Blue Flag in Spain).

On the 8th of May, the press conference for the announcement of the Blue Flag sites 2018 in Spain was held More than 30 TV channels, newspapers and radios attended the conference which had great media coverage. The conference, which was covered by national and regional channels, was held in the auditorium of the headquarters of the Ministry of Tourism in Madrid.
 
The conference was hosted by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Tourism, Matilde Asian, the Director of the Sustainability Program from WTO, Dirk Glaesser, together with the President of ADEAC, Jose Palacios. ADEAC is the organization representing the Blue Flag programme in Spain.
 
With 590 beaches, 101 marinas and five sustainable tourism boating operators awarded, Spain is the country with the highest total number of Blue Flag awarded sites.

31st National Blue Flag season launch in the Netherlands

Blue Flag sail hoisted on spinnaker in celebration of 2018 Blue Flag site awarding ceremony

On the 3rd of May the Netherlands organised their 31st National Blue Flag season launch celebration at Uitgeest marina. The Dutch jury president was able to announce that a total of 185 sites that received the award. Of these sites in the Netherlands, 123 were marinas and 62 beaches, of which eight were inland beaches.

Since half of the Netherlands’ surface is below sea level, there are a lot of marinas. No wonder that this country has the most Blue Flag awarded marinas in the world. In addition, the municipality Sudwestfryslan celebrated having eight Blue Flag marinas. These are actually the most awarded marinas within a municipality’s borders.

Six successful candidates have been awarded the Blue Flag since it’s representation in the Netherlands and received the Blue Flag for the 31st time in a row. The Blue Flag season 2018 was opened by Uitgeest’s mayor and the national jury president by hoisting a Blue Flag sail on a big spinnaker, as seen in the photo above.
 

FEE Turkey organised two national training seminars in addition to award ceremonies 

6th National Training Seminar for Beach Managers

FEE Turkey organized the 8th National Training Seminar for Marina Managers and Blue Flag responsible individuals. In total around 60 people attended the seminar in Bodrum (Turkey), including 22 awarded marinas. The Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Environment, the Marine Tourism Association, the Chamber of Shipping, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Sustainability Experts, attended and held presentations and workshops. 

In addition, FEE Turkey, prepared the 6th National Training Seminar for Beach Managers, which was concluded with an examination. During 29-30 March 2018, 170 beach managers from 59 coastal cities in Turkey successfully passed the exam.

After the national training seminar, 10 beaches and 3 marinas were awarded for collecting the most waste batteries within in a year. This was organised in collaboration with TAP-Waste Batteries Collection Association, who are licenced to collect all waste batteries in Turkey.
 

Click here to read about the Blue Flag awarding ceremonies for 2018 season: Part 1. 

Blue Flag awarding ceremonies for 2018 season: Part 1

Blue Flag International is happy to announce the sites awarded for this coming season 2018. We would like to congratulate all countries and municipalities that have successfully awarded the Blue Flag to local beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators. A number of countries have sent us information and pictures of the awarding ceremonies. We would like to share stories and/or pictures from Italy, Jordan and Slovenia with you. 

Italian 2018 Blue Flag awarded sites presented at the National Research Council in Rome

The announcement of Italy's awarded sites for 2018

The National Research Council in Rome, the conference for the presentation of the Blue Flag awarded sites for 2018, took place on the 7th of May. 175 mayors of the awarded municipalities were present and a total of 368 beaches and 70 marinas were awarded. Among other historical partners of FEE Italia, we can mention the attendance of the ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) and Coast Guard General Command.

This conference was also an opportunity to celebrate two municipalities, Moneglia and Grado, that have had Blue Flag sites awarded continuously for 30 years. In Italy the Blue Flag programme is used as a step-by-step guidance for coastal municipalities in choosing strategies for sustainable management of their territory. They do so while increasing benefits for the environment and life quality. 

Jordan Blue Flag marina and beaches awarding ceremonies for the 2018 season

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Blue Flag beach awarding ceremony

The marina of Ayla is considered one of the extraordinary mega projects at the Gulf of Aqaba that has created about 17 kilometers of waterfront. In 2018, the marina of Ayla was awarded with the Blue Flag as the first marina in Jordan to receive this recognition. The marina contains contemporary facilities that comply with international standards. These facilities include sewage stations, a fuel filling facility, an oil discharge unit, a transport station for golf vehicles, a system for cleaning and control the bottom of the water, and a system for cleaning the boats internally and externally.

The beaches from InterContinental Aqaba Resort, Mövenpick Resort & Residences Aqaba and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay were Blue Flag awarded for 2018. In addition, the InterContinental Aqaba Resort also has the Green Key award, and is committed to maintaining and sustaining the requirements for both labels in the future.

National Blue Flag and Green Key awarding ceremony 2018 in Slovenia 

Boris Susmak, Blue Flag National Operator Slovenia, and Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Green Key Director, at the Blue Flag ceremony at the Internautica Boat Show in Slovenia. 

Click here to read about the Blue Flag awarding ceremonies for 2018 season: Part 2. 

ITB Berlin 2018: Blue Flag presentation at the World’s Leading Tourism and Travel Trade Show

Beginning of March, Blue Flag International held a presentation on the importance of the international ecolabel for beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators and its different criteria at the international tourism fair ITB in Berlin (Germany).

If you were not able to watch the presentation, it started out with a reminder about the threats coasts face on a global scale and what the Blue Flag certification helps achieving through environmental education programme. The sustainable certification was founded in 1987, protecting our coastal areas around the world for over 30 years.

The presentation focused on the new certification for sustainable boating tourism operators launched over the last two years, with a highlight on new categories such as Responsible Operation around Wildlife, Water Quality and Social Responsibility. Three case studies were presented to show the programme’s achievements in South Africa, Canada and the Dominican Republic. Three destinations proving that it is worth going the extra mile in implementing more for the people and the planet by certifying beaches, marinas and boats.

The concluding quote, “One billion tourists, one billion opportunities”, was the theme of the World Tourism Day 2015.

Blue Flag International is looking forward to attend next year’s ITB.

WESSA Donates Amphibious Wheelchairs to Four Blue Flag Beaches in South Africa

It's not just another day at the beach! On 26 February, South African Blue Flag National Operator WESSA held an event on Muizenberg beach in Cape Town to present amphibious wheelchairs to four municipal Blue Flag beaches in South Africa.

WESSA (The Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa), in partnership with the National Council for People with Disabilities and with funding provided by The Ford Motor Company Fund, donated the wheelchairs to Blue Flag beaches in Cape Town, Overstrand, Bitou, and Kouga.

The amphibious wheelchairs are designed to move easily across sandy beaches, enter the water, and float in the sea. Access to the wheelchairs gives disabled beach goers the opportunity to enjoy a full and seamless beach experience. The selected beaches will provide the wheelchairs free of charge to those who need them. WESSA believes that the donation of these first four wheelchairs marks a step in the direction of universal access to Blue Flag beaches in South Africa. 

One of the things that makes Blue Flag unique in the world of eco-labels is its emphasis on accessibility. This idea can be found throughout the Blue Flag philosophy, from the criterion that private beaches have affordable entrance fees, to the requirement that at least one beach per municipality provide infrastructure and amenities for people with disabilities. Blue Flag beaches are not only clean, safe, sustainable, and educational, but also accessible. By minimising obstacles to accessibility, WESSA is upholding one of Blue Flag's core values and setting an example for Blue Flag beaches around the world. 

All photos provided by WESSA. You can also check out WESSA's video of a Cape Town resident riding the waves in one of the new amphibious wheelchairs. 

Blue Flag to Present at ITB Berlin 2018

Blue Flag will be presenting at the ITB Berlin 2018 travel trade show on 7 March during the Pow-Wow for Tourism Professionals. The title of the presentation is "The Blue Flag Programme- An International Eco-Label for Beaches, Marinas, and Boating Tourism Operators- 30 Years of Protecting Our Coastal Areas Around the World." 

From the ITB Berlin Website:

For the coastal environment, water quality, safety and access for all, the Blue Flag represents a serious and profound commitment to both people and the environment. Central to the ideals of the Blue Flag programme is the aim of connecting the public with their surroundings and encouraging them to learn more about their environment. Appropriate national organisations are selected to implement and enforce the Blue Flag criteria and thereby ensure a consistency of the standards internationally, which make the Blue Flag award so trustworthy and valuable. Launched in 1987, the Blue Flag Programme has over 30 years of experience in engaging municipalities, marina managers, tourism companies, local communities and tourists in protecting our coastlines.

If you will be at ITB Berlin this year and would like to learn more about Blue Flag, come to The Adventure Stage in Hall 4.1 at 16:00 to hear the presentation. Learn more about the event at the ITB Berlin website.