Türkiye has 551 Blue Flag beaches

ISTANBUL

The number of Blue Flag beaches in Türkiye has risen to 551, the Culture Ministry has said.

The Blue Flag awards for 2023 have been announced, and 551 beaches, 23 marinas, 14 tourism boats and 10 private yachts have been awarded with a Blue Flag, according to a statement of the ministry.

Türkiye maintained its third place in the world in the Blue Flag ranking, the statement added.

Spain and Greece ranked first and second, while Italy and France came fourth and fifth in the ranking, respectively.

Last year, the country had 531 Blue Flag beaches.

The province of Antalya had the largest number of Blue Flag beaches in Türkiye at 231, followed by the province of Muğla at 110 and İzmir at 63. The western province of Balıkesir has 46 Blue Flag beaches, while Aydın has 35.

Antalya also has five Blue Flag marinas and 14 Blue Flag tourism boats.

The Blue Flag is a certification given by the Copenhagen-based not-for-profit non-governmental organization, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

A Blue Flag is awarded to a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator that meets its environmental standards.