Spain has obtained a total of 684 blue flags (579 beaches, 100 marinas and five tourist boats) that will fly from June 2017, which is a slight decrease with two less than the 686 registered in 2016, so that On one of every five beaches on the national coast, this flag will be displayed. As for the sandbanks, 586 flags will be flown this year, which is seven less than in 2016.
With this result, Spain continues to lead the world ranking followed by Greece, France, Turkey, Italy and Portugal. Thus, one out of every six blue flags in the world will fly on the Spanish coast.
The most benefited region in the number of beaches with blue flags has been the Valencian Community with 129, followed by Galicia (113), Catalonia (95) and Andalusia (90).
The president of the Blue Flag association, José Ramón Sánchez, explained that this slight reduction in the number of flags should be considered a “great success” because this means that the regulations are more demanding, with a directive on bathing and stricter wastewater treatment.
14 more municipalities with Blue Flag
“The most important thing is that there are 14 more municipalities with blue flags than last year, that means that they are spread across the Spanish coast and that is very good,” he explained.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Matilde Asían, stated that “Spain owes a lot to the blue flag ‘” and that in the year that culminates the celebration of its 30th anniversary, the great work done and its commitment to sustainability and the environment, while highlighting its international character and integration of administrations
The international jury has awarded 4,287 Blue Flags in the northern hemisphere, 3,575 for beaches, 662 for ports and 50 for sustainable tourist boats. Of the flags on sustainable tourist boats, five will fly in Spain (three in Mallorca and two in Malaga).
The number of participating Spanish coastal municipalities in 2017 is 247 (13 more than the previous year), of which 236 have obtained some blue flag (16 more than in 2016).
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