The Algarve’s tourism businesses are rejoicing after a record number if the region's beaches have been awarded Blue Flag status.
The Blue Flag Association announced that in 2014, 300 awards were given to Portugal for its beaches, rivers and marinas with the Algarve way ahead for the first time with 82 beaches receiving the accolade, up 13 on last year albeit mainly due to Lagoa and Castro Marim councils joining in the scheme after their stubborn hiatus in recent years left suspicions among tourists that their beaches were not fit for holiday fun.
The Blue Flag Association’s president, José Archer, expressed his satisfaction with the "big commitment" that municipalities have made to meet the requirements, especially after the harsh and stormy winter, noting that the award is judged against 30 requirements, of which "26 are imperative," and water quality is a pre-requirement.
Archer said the Blue Flag awards involve "costs and large investments," but noted that the "returns are almost immediate," thanks to the increased number of people using the beaches as the surrounding commercial activity.
Lagoa and Castro Marim councils sensibly decided to join the scheme this year, reversing their former stubborn stance in a move that adds Caneiros, Carvoeiro, Pintadinho, Senhora da Rocha and Vale do Olival for Lagoa, and Alagoa-Altura, Praia Verde and Cabeço for Castro Marim.
Tourists have every opportunity online to check beaches before selecting their holiday resorts or villas and this performance from the Algarve will help boost numbers of those who come for a sea and sand holiday, which still represents 75% of those selecting the Algarve for their holidays.
The Blue Flag criteria are as follows:
1) Environmental Education and Information
- Information about the Blue Flag must be displayed.
- Environmental education activities must be offered and promoted to beach users.
- Information about bathing water quality must be displayed.
- Information relating to local eco-systems and environmental phenomena must be displayed.
- A map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed.
- A code of conduct that reflects appropriate laws governing the use of the beach and surrounding areas must be displayed.
2) Water Quality
- The beach must fully comply with the water quality sampling and frequency requirements.
- The beach must fully comply with the standards and requirements for water quality analysis.
- No industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach area.
- The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the microbiological parameter faecal coli bacteria (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci/streptococci.
- The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for physical and chemical parameters.
3) Environmental Management
- The local authority/beach operator should establish a beach management committee.
- The local authority/beach operator must comply with all regulations affecting the location and operation of the beach.
- The beach must be clean.
- Algae vegetation or natural debris should be left on the beach.
- Waste disposal bins/containers must be available at the beach in adequate numbers and they must be regularly maintained.
- Facilities for the separation of recyclable waste materials should be available at the beach.
- An adequate number of toilet or restroom facilities must be provided.
- The toilet or restroom facilities must be kept clean.
- The toilet or restroom facilities must have controlled sewage disposal.
- There should be no unauthorised camping, driving or dumping of waste on the beach.
- Access to the beach by dogs and other domestic animals must be strictly controlled.
- All buildings and beach equipment must be properly maintained.
- Coral reefs in the vicinity of the beach must be monitored.
- A sustainable means of transportation should be promoted in the beach area.
4) Safety and Services
- An adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach.
- First aid equipment must be available on the beach.
- Emergency plans to cope with pollution risks must be in place.
- There must be management of beach users and events to prevent conflicts and accidents.
- There must be safety measures in place to protect beach users.
- A supply of drinking water should be available at the beach.
- At least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality must have wheelchair and accessibility features.
- Wheelchair access and accessibility features must be in place for at least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality.
