The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is extremely proud to announce that no fewer than three of its beaches have been awarded full Blue flag status by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) for the Blue Flag 2015/16 season. Humewood, Hobie and King’s Beach will be flying this international eco-label, the Blue Flag, as a reassurance, especially to our overseas visitors, that excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness, environmental information and environmental management has been met – and that our beaches are ready for the thousands of visitors that will descend on them this Holiday Season.
The news was announced in a launch of the Blue Flag Status 2015 and awards ceremony that was held in Hermanus, Western Cape today.
Speaking after receiving the Blue Flag awards on behalf of the municipality, Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Portfolio Chairman, Councillor Andiswa Mama said: “It is a huge achievement, hard work has paid off. I call upon the international, national and local community to visit and enjoy our Blue Flag beaches this Summer Season. Work is already in progress in other beaches, like Wells Estate to achieve the same status. This is a clear indication that political oversight and cooperation between the political sphere and officials is working.”
“The Municipality places a very high value on the Blue Flag, as the most coveted and prestigious international award that could be bestowed on our beaches for meeting the highest standards for amenities, cleanliness and environmental protection, we have done it again and we commit to continue like this” added Councillor Mama.
According to the World Tourism Organization, the international Blue Flag, which is now in its 25th year of operation, is the most well-known and oldest eco-label of its kind. Currently, more than 40 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean are participating in the programme and interest in the programme continues to grow, with almost 4,000 Blue Flag beaches and marinas around the world.
The Blue Flag programme offers many benefits: improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, increased awareness of the coast and capacity building of coastal municipalities.
For the 2015/16 South African Blue Flag season, 9 beaches, 9 boats and 6 marinas have achieved full Status, and a further 30 beaches have been awarded Pilot Status, which is an important developmental state for potential Blue Flag sites.
The success of the Blue Flag programme in Nelson Mandela Bay can be attributed to the commitment of the Municipality to provide beach-goers and holiday-makers with world class beaches offering safe, clean and well-managed facilities. South Africa was the first country outside Europe to be granted Blue Flag accreditation for its beaches.
A remarkable 24 beaches have been on the programme for more than five consecutive years, and two of these have participated for all fifteen years that the programme has been running in the country. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is proud that Humewood Beach is one of these two beaches, scooping a glittering Gold status for 15 remarkable years. In 2000 we reached a milestone when Humewood Beach achieved full Blue Flag status, making it the first beach on the African continent to achieve this status.
NMB Communications
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