SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA / MADRID, May 7. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spain has obtained a total of 729 ‘Blue Flags’ (638 beaches, 102 marinas and seven tourist boats) that will fly from June, 18 more than in 2023. Galicia is consolidated as the third community with the highest number, having 125 , same figure as last year.
One of the novelties this year is that Navarra debuts in the program with its first ‘Blue Flag’ for the Bahía de Lerate beach in Guesalez. There are still four autonomous communities without receiving any distinction: Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y León, Aragón and La Rioja.
In this way, the beaches of Spain, which this year have achieved 11 more ‘Blue Flags’ than last year, maintain the world leadership that they achieved in 1994, accumulating 15% of the total awards, and followed by Greece and Turkey. This year there are eight new beaches in Spain with this distinction and 33 that recover them in this edition.
Regarding marinas, which this year increased by five, Spain is the third country, behind the Netherlands and France. In 2024, 102 ports have been presented (one less than last year), so 100% have achieved the ‘Blue Flag’. In this case, seven have recovered the award and one receives it for the first time.
The Valencian Community continues to lead the number of ‘Blue Flags’ in Spain, with 159 (six more than 2023), followed by Andalusia, with 156 (8) ‘Blue Flags’, Galicia, with 125 (same as last year) distinctive, and Catalonia, with 118 (-2).
The rest of the communities according to the number of ‘Blue Flags’ awarded are: Canary Islands (60, the same), Balearic Islands (42 and 4), Murcia (34 and -1), Asturias (17 and 2), Cantabria (10 and – 1), Extremadura (11 and -1), Basque Country (4, the same), Melilla (4, the same), Ceuta (2, the same) and Madrid (1, the same).
In addition, seven municipalities and their corresponding beaches continue to have the Blue Flag since the beginning of the program in 1987, without any interruption, for 38 consecutive years: Alcalá de Xivert (El Carregador beach), Alicante (Sant Joan beach), Calpe (La Fossa beach) , Campello (Carrer la Mar beach), Cullera (Sant Antoni beach), Gandía (Nord beach) and Oleiros (Bastiagueiro beach).
In 2024, 88 interpretation centers have been recognized as Blue Centers in Andalusia (17), Asturias (6), the Balearic Islands (1), the Canary Islands (4), Cantabria (4), Catalonia (10), the Valencian Community (25), Extremadura (5), Galicia (15) and Region of Murcia (1).
In her first official act as Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez highlighted that “the Blue Flags on our beaches and ports are another incentive.”
“It is also a source of pride for all the citizens who love, care for and protect our coastline and who are proud that the place where they live enjoys such excellent recognition,” he added.
The Environmental and Consumer Education Association (ADEAC) also grants ‘Special Mentions’ to three Blue Flag municipalities that make greater efforts in relation to environmental education, lifeguard services and accessibility and care for people with disabilities.
The Jury of the ‘Special Mention for Accessibility and care for people with disabilities’ decided to award the mentions to Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz), Torrevieja (Alicante) and Xilxes (Castellón).
The Jury of the ‘Special Mention for Lifesaving Services’ considered awarding San Fernado (Cádiz), Málaga (Málaga) and Teulada (Alicante). Finally, the Jury of the ‘Special Mention for Environmental Education’ recognized Alcudia (Balearic Islands), Castro-Urdiales (Cantabria) and Roquetas de Mar (Almería).
