Antalya ranks first in Blue Flag beaches

ANTALYA – Anadolu Agency

Antalya has 197 beaches and six marinas awarded with the Blue Flag.

The southern province of Antalya holds the world record for having the highest number of “Blue Flag” certified beaches.

Antalya has 197 beaches and six marinas awarded with the Blue Flag, a voluntary eco-label issued by the Foundation for Environmental Education to beaches and marinas with high water quality, cleanliness and environmental standards.

Antalya’s regional Blue Flag coordinator Lokman Atasoy said the city’s aim was to sustain the quality of the certified beaches and increase the number of beaches that deserve a Blue Flag.

“Tourists visiting Turkey increasingly care more about the water quality and eco-friendly beaches,” he said, adding the Blue Flag had an increasing role in the preferences of tourists. “In recent years, tourism companies also ask about the Blue Flag. It is not enough to claim the water is clean; you have to prove it.”

All Blue Flags are awarded for one season at a time. If the criteria are not fulfilled during the season or the conditions change, the Blue Flag may be withdrawn.