BLUE FLAG SURVEY FOR AND

MARINA MANAGERS - RESULTS

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FOREWORD

This document is a summary of the survey conducted among beach and marina managers of Blue Flag awarded sites in 2011. The objective of the survey was to measure the satisfaction of the beach and marina managers with the Blue Flag and to identify the strengths and the weaknesses of the programme from their perspective. It was conducted between 30th March and 2nd May 2011 (33 days in total), via the web-based survey platform “Survey Monkey”. Unfortunately, due to a hectic Blue Flag season, the survey was actually conducted within a smaller time period (approximately 15-20 days). In total, 1151 beach and marina managers from 33 countries participated in the survey: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Russia, , , , , , Turks and Caicos Islands, and . A manager often manages more than one Blue Flag beach or marina, but counts as one answer in our results, since we surveyed the managers, and not the sites. Beach and marina managers who participated in this survey will be referred to as “respondents” throughout this document. We wish to thank all those who took the time to answer the survey.

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1. RATIO OF ANSWERS BETWEEN AND MARINAS

Among the 3,600 Blue Flag sites in 2011, there were approximately 600 marinas and 3000 beaches. Thus, most of the answers of this survey come from beach managers (80%).

Number of beach and marina managers who answered the survey per country 180

160

140 Marina Beach 120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Italy

Malta

Brazil

Spain

Wales

Ireand

Jordan Russia Turkey

France

Cyprus

Croatia

Iceland

Greece

Norway

Turks &… Ukraine

Canada

Sweden

Bulgaria England

Portugal

Morocco Slovenia

Northern…

Scotland

Belgium-…

Denmark

Lithuania

Germany

PuertoRico

Montenegro Netherlands

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“Over 40% of all Blue Flag sites joined the programme more than 10 years ago – a long-term commitment to the environment”

2. HISTORY OF THE BLUE FLAG PROGRAMME

In many countries Blue Flag has been a well-established eco-label for a long time. Over 40% of the respondents’ sites (marinas or beaches) joined the Blue Flag programme more than 10 years ago. This indicates the long-term commitment to the Blue Flag programme of many municipalities and public or private marinas worldwide. Almost one third of the respondents’ sites joined the programme between 5 and 10 years ago. The remaining third started to implement the programme less than 5 years ago.

When did your beach / marina first join the Blue Flag programme?*

7%

More than 10 years 23% 41% Less than 10 years Less than 5 years It's the first year 29%

*Status: 2011

Being awarded the Blue Flag is not only a long-term commitment for many beaches or marinas in general, but also for the managers who implement the programme. Almost one quarter of all beach and marina managers have been involved in the Blue Flag programme for more than 10 years and in total, over half of them were part of Blue Flag for more than 5 years. This shows that once awarded the Blue Flag, it may evolve into being an integral part of the management of a site.

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“Its reputation alone is an incentive to be awarded the Blue Flag”

3. THE BENEFITS OF BLUE FLAG

To be awarded the Blue Flag, a big effort has to be made and often the managers face a lot of difficulties which have to be solved before being awarded. However, overcoming the difficulties is worthwhile. Flying the Blue Flag brings many advantages as the following results will show. According to more than half of the respondents, the major benefit of being involved in the Blue Flag programme is that it is the biggest international eco-label for beaches and marinas in the world. This indicates that its reputation alone is an incentive to be awarded the Blue Flag. This recognition, however, is not only a status for Blue Flag International but also a commitment to continuously improve the programme and the criteria for beaches and marinas to ensure best- environmental practices. The second biggest benefit of being involved in the programme for the respondents are the environmental benefits for their beaches and marinas. Today, more and more tourists try to make “greener” decisions during their holidays - this is an important consideration which will not only make the site more environmentally-friendly but may also attract more tourists. Furthermore, not only are the beaches and marinas being awarded, but the hard work of the managers and their teams to make their sites comply with the criteria is also been recognised. Almost half of the respondents see the Blue Flag as a symbol of recognition for their efforts to make more environmentally-friendly decisions and to make their sites safe and enjoyable for all its users. Along with all the benefits listed above the economic benefits also play a major role. What are the benefits for being involved in the Blue Flag programme? (more than one answer is possible)

80 % 70 % 60 % 72 % 68 % 50 % 55 % 40 % 42 % 30 % 20 % 25 % 10 % 0 % It is a good incentive It rewards the efforts It is the biggest The economic The environmental for the beach / of the management international eco- benefits are benefits are marina manager team label for beaches and important important marinas

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“80% of the respondents share the opinion that the Blue Flag helps to influence decision-making”

Furthermore, Blue Flag is not only well-recognised by tourists but also by the municipalities. According to 80% of the respondents, the Blue Flag helps to support improvements and influence decision making within the municipality. To the question “How?” the majority of the respondents answered that the Blue Flag helps to obtain financial support from the municipalities for different kinds of improvements, for example improvement of the drainage systems, the implementation of disabled facilities, etc. In addition, the Blue Flag is also seen as a stimulus for improving the environmental quality at the awarded sites.

Does having (or aiming to achieve) Blue Flag help support improvements and influence decision making within your municipality?

20%

Yes No

80%

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4. BLUE FLAG CRITERIA

Most of the time, before the Blue Flag can be raised a beach or marina may have to go through many changes. Furthermore, the management may have to consider a lot of new issues which weren’t previously part of their daily agenda. As Blue Flag is a truly international eco-label, the problems of implementing the programme may also vary greatly from country to country. When respondents were asked which of the four main criteria groups Environmental Education, Environmental Management, Safety and Services and Water Quality were the most difficult to comply with the respondents pointed mostly at the Environmental Education criteria. The reason for this might be that the awareness-raising about environmental issues is not an everyday activity beach or marina managers have to deal with. However, it is an integral part of the Blue Flag programme which promotes environmental-good practices not only among the operators of the beaches and marinas but also among their users. Furthermore, to facilitate the implementation of the Environmental Education criteria Blue Flag continuously works on developing a broad range of tools for its members, e.g. guides, seminars or the exchange of best-practices. The other three groups of criteria were evaluated more or less the same. Less than one quarter of the respondents thought that it is difficult to comply with the criteria concerning Environmental Management, Safety and Services and Water Quality. The main reasons for the non- compliance mentioned were:

 Managers or municipality might not always be able to influence some issues  The lack of interest in environmental issues within other stakeholders or the public makes  Vandalism

Which of the Blue Flag criteria do you find difficult to achieve? 45 % 40 % 42 % 35 % 30 % 25 % 25 % 24 % 20 % 22 % 15 % 10 % 5 % 0 % Environmental Water Quality Environmental Safety and Education and management Services Information

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“More than one quarter of all respondents have experienced an increase in local and international tourism since their site has been awarded the Blue Flag”

5. IMPACT OF BLUE FLAG ON TOURISM

Obtaining a Blue Flag for a site has many advantages. One major advantage is the contribution to local tourism. After being awarded the Blue Flag, 27% responded with “yes, definitely” to observing an increase in local tourism to their Blue Flag sites. In addition, 26% percent have also noted an increase to the question in international tourists visiting their beaches or marinas. However, these were subjective answers of the respondents and further research would be necessary to prove the effect more objectively.

In your experience, has there been an increase in local tourists visiting your beach/marina since you got the Blue Flag?

19% 27% Yes, definitely

Maybe

No 54%

In your experience, has there been an increase in international tourists visiting your beach/marina since you got the Blue Flag?

19% 26% Yes, definitely

Maybe

No 55%

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“Three quarter of the beach and marina managers use the Blue Flag as a marketing tool”

6. BLUE FLAG MARKETING

Once the Blue Flag status has been achieved most of the beach or marina manager fly it with pride. 75% of all respondents stated that they use the Blue Flag as a marketing tool to promote their sites. This shows the relevance of the eco-label as it is looked upon as an award worth showing to the public.

Do you use Blue Flag in the marketing of your beach/marina?

3%

22% Yes Sometimes Never

75%

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“More than half of the beach and marina managers believe that the Blue Flag is

beneficial for the local economy”

7. BLUE FLAG BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY

The strict criteria and guidelines for Blue Flag lead to quality Blue Flag sites. Trust is good, but control is better. This is also what tourists and investors alike appreciate about sites which are awarded the Blue Flag. The quality of Blue Flag sites is an incentive for many tourists and investors to spend their time and money on these sites. This can be seen by the fact that 39% of the respondents answered that the Blue Flag benefits the local economy. Furthermore, 17% feel that it benefits very much. Only 6% share the opinion that the Blue Flag has no effect on the local economy. In response to the question “If yes, why?” the main points mentioned were the increase in tourist numbers which has a positive effect on local businesses like restaurants, hotels and shops etc. Furthermore, it was also mentioned that in some cases the value of the real estate in the vicinity of a Blue Flag site has risen. This indicates that the Blue Flag programme is not only beneficial in terms of environmental issues but also on an economic level.

Would you say that Blue Flag benefits the local economy?

17% 17%

Yes, very much 6% Yes Very little Not at all 21% I don´t know 39%

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“Around 80% of the respondents share the opinion that the environmental education activities have positive impacts on their sites”

8. IMPACTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

Blue Flag is a programme developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education. Therefore, awareness-raising about environmental issues constitutes a major part of the work with the programme. 28% of the respondents believe the Blue Flag Environmental Education activities have very positive impacts and 55% believe that they have at least some positive effects. This means that more than 80% of the respondents believe that environmental education activities which are mandatory to receive the Blue Flag have positive impacts on their sites and the behaviour of their users. Many of the respondents stated that their sites are cleaner and that the recycling facilities are well-accepted by the visitors of the sites. Furthermore, they noticed that the awareness about environmental issues has risen among visitors and stakeholders alike. In regard to the fact that around 40% of the respondents think that it is difficult to comply with the criteria concerning the Environmental Education, Blue Flag continuously aims at giving the best support to its members to help them achieving their environmental goals, and will continue to strive towards the best possible assistance.

Have you noticed any impact of the Environmental Education activities that take place at your Blue Flag beach/ marina?

3%

14% 28% Yes, very positive effects

Yes, some positive effects

None

Yes, some negative effects 55%

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“Close to three quarter of the respondents say that the state of the environment at their site has improved due to the Blue Flag programme”

9. IMPACT OF THE BLUE FLAG ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Educating the staff and the visitors of a beach or marina about the environment is one thing - assessing the outcomes of the education is another. And fortunately almost three quarter of the respondents agree that the environmental conditions at or around their sites have improved after the Blue Flag programme was implemented. The implementation of the programme itself is of course not always the only reason for good environmental conditions. At many sites the environmental conditions are already satisfying, nevertheless the Blue Flag programme offers the opportunity to monitor the quality and to ensure that it is maintained over the long-term.

Has the environment around your beach/marina improved after the beach/marina was awarded the Blue Flag?

7% 18%

21% Yes, very much Yes Very little Not at all

54%

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COMMENTS ABOUT THE EFFECT THAT BLUE FLAG HAS ON THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

“A lot of tourists wish to know which are the awarded beaches, and native people are really happy with the facilities and services stimulated by the programme.” “In general many of the communities have a focus on

the environment and think it is important to show that they care and take responsibility for their citizens. Also to be known as a community with lots of activities for the locals and for the tourists.”

“There are lots of tourists, with ready-

prepared maps and which planned to stay in a resort with a Blue Flag beach in the neighborhood. Apartment, restaurant owners and managers, in their own brochure, give information about Blue Flag beaches in the surroundings. In the beginning it was not so important, but now guests know that Blue Flag beaches have the highest environmental and safety standards, always clean and tidy.”

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“95% of all respondents would recommend the Blue Flag programme to other beach or marina managers”

10. RECOMMENDATION OF THE BLUE FLAG

When Blue Flag started in 1978, 452 pioneer beaches and marinas took part in the programme. By 2011 this number has more than eight folded. Moreover, in the last 15 years Blue Flag had an increase in almost thousand new sites and spread to other continents! The ever-increasing number of Blue Flag countries and sites proves that environmental good- practices are gaining more and more relevance in marine and coastal tourism globally. Considering the fact that 95% of all respondents would recommend the Blue Flag to other beach/marina managers clearly shows the high satisfaction with the programme. Their commitment is our biggest strength, because only if they are satisfied with the Blue Flag will they make the effort to implement the programme at their beaches or marinas.

“A great sign to “boatpeople” about our view on actors on polluting marinas. This is “Blue Flag is the probably the best arena to guarantee of the better get this message out to organized and clean normal people.” environment; this is what

we all want”

“It's a frame for a good environmental managing system”

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CONCLUSION

The results of the survey show that Blue Flag is a well-esteemed eco-label among beach and marina managers which not only provides benefits for the environment but also for the local community. The high standard and quality which the eco-label is built upon as well as its international reputation makes Blue Flag the most important award for beaches and marinas worldwide. Since the programme is truly international Blue Flag tries to consider the differences of each of its member countries to find the best solutions in regard to environmental-good practices. Once awarded the Blue Flag, beach and marina managers appreciate:

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS. The survey has shown that the majority of beach and marina managers have experienced an increased awareness for environmental issues at their sites. They noticed that they are cleaner and that their users take more environmentally-friendly decisions. The environmental activities which are supported by the Blue Flag programme contribute to this development.

ECONOMICAL BENEFITS. Implementing the Blue Flag programme has positive effects on the local economy. The result that one quarter of the respondents share the opinion that tourist numbers have increased after their sites have been awarded the Blue Flag shows which effect the programme may have on the local tourism sector. In addition, an awarded site may also reevaluate the surrounding area as in some countries real estate prices have risen after the awarding of a site.

GLOBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Implementing the Blue Flag programme at a new site is not an easy task. The management of a beach or marina may have to face many new challenges concerning the environment and the facilities at their sites which previously were not part of their daily agenda. However, by finally receiving the Blue Flag they can actually see the result of their efforts. So can the tourists, who nowadays care more and more about the environment and who are also more aware of the Blue Flag. As the survey has shown beach and marina managers do take advantage of this development and actively use their Blue Flag award as a marketing tool. A testimony to the Blue Flag programme is the fact that 95% of all respondents would recommend the implementation of the Blue Flag programme to other beach/marina managers. Furthermore, the great number of sites which have joined the Blue Flag more than 10 years ago is an evidence that the programme has been successfully implemented in the long-term. Their dedication to our programme encourages us to keep improving the Blue Flag quality standards while ensuring its long-term feasibility.

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Blue Flag is a programme developped by the Foundation for Environmental Education

Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is an international organisation that has been promoting environmental education for sustainable development since 1981. FEE is an umbrella organisation with member organisations in around 60 countries around the world. (www.fee- international.org)

FEE is active in environmental education mainly through five programmes: · Blue Flag (www.blueflag.org) · Green Key (www.green-key.org) · Eco-Schools (www.eco-schools.org) · Young Reporters for the Environment (www.youngreporters.org) · Learning about Forests (www.leaf-international.org)

Through formal school education, training of staff, and awareness raising, FEE's programmes involve people of all ages and nationalities.

BLUE FLAG INTERNATIONAL WWW.BLUEFLAG.ORG

Sophie Bachet Granados

International Blue Flag Director

[email protected]

+45 70 22 24 27 Any use of parts or full report is subject to Copyright – Blue Flag International

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