Zihuatanejo’s La Ropa beach has been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag distinction, joining El Palmar I, II and III as the four beaches in the popular tourist destination to have achieved the international certification.

At Friday’s flag-raising ceremony, Guerrero Governor Héctor Astudillo Flores expressed his approval of the achievement, thanking residents for their cooperation and efforts to keep the beach safe and clean.

Mayor Jorge Sánchez Allec, in turn, thanked the governor for supporting Zihuatanejo.

“It is a great coordination job that we have done with the state government. Today we can guarantee that we have an orderly beach with clean sand but also clean water,” he said.

The Blue Flag designation “helps us to promote the beach destination. Having the certification was a dream that all the restaurateurs, neighbors and residents of this town had,” he added.

Beaches, marinas and tour boats can earn the international distinction once they have met the Foundation for Environmental Education’s stringent environmental, educational, safety and access-related criteria.

Among other requirements, Blue Flag beaches must offer environmental education activities, display a code of conduct, and provide information about water quality. Garbage cans, water, and restrooms are required, and lifeguards and first aid services must also be in place. 

According to the Blue Flag Mexico website, the country has 62 Blue Flag-certified beaches, three Blue Flag marinas and 25 certified tourist vessels.

Quintana Roo leads the nation with 45 Blue Flag beaches and boats, followed by Baja California Sur with 23 beaches and a marina.  

Source: El Universal (sp)