25 beaches and a Marina will hoist the Blue Flag during the 2017 summer season. These sites offer visitors an environment of excellence in areas such as water quality, entertainment, environmental education and awareness.

The Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, presided by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, awarded the international Blue Flag label to 25 beaches and a marina. A total of 98 beaches are registered this season in Clean Beaches, the Foundation’s flagship program.

The awarded label concerns the following beaches (map attached):

• Achakar/Tangier-Asilah
• Aglou sidi moussa/Tiznit
• Arekmane/Nador
• Ba-kacem/Tangier-Asilah
• Bouznika
• Skhirat
• El Moussafir/Dakhla
• Essaouira
• Foum loued / Laayoune
• Haouzia
• Dalia/Fahs Anjra
• Oued Aliane/Fahs-Anjra
• Oualidia
• Oued Laou/Tetouan
• Oum labouir/Dakhla
• Safi
• Saidia
• Sidi Rahal
• Souiria lkdima/Safi
• Saidia tourist resort
• Cap Beddouza/Safi
• Agadir
• Sidi Kankouch 1/Fahs Anjra,
• Sidi Ifni
• Imintourga (Mirleft)

For the first time in Morocco, the Blue Flag label will fly at a marina, at Saidia Med marina in the Oriental region.

The International Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) established the Blue Flag label. It flies at 4,266 beaches and marinas in 47 countries in Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Since its introduction in Morocco by the Foundation in 2002, it has attracted an increasing number of beaches. While only 5 beaches obtained it in 2005, a total of 25 will hoist it this year. This progression reflects the efforts by the Foundation and its Clean Beaches program partners. The Clean Beach program, launched in 1999, empowers participating beaches to evolve with the aim of being awarded the precious Blue Flag.

Beaches are awarded this label by respecting four categories of criteria: bathing water quality, information, environmental awareness and education, hygiene and safety, and development and management. The Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection leads a nation committee that monitors these criteria throughout the season.

The Blue Flag

The Blue Flag celebrates its 30-year anniversary

The Blue Flag, which celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year in Europe, is a symbol of exemplary environmental quality. Created in Europe by the French office of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985, this label is managed by FEE, a network of NGOs in 68 countries that promotes and implements environmental awareness and education programs.

Each year, the Blue Flag honors communes and marinas that are committed to sustainable tourism development policies.

Now present in 47 countries on all continents, the Blue Flag has become a world reference in the areas of tourism, the environment and sustainable development.

Each year, it recognizes the beaches and marinas that are committed to implementing a sustainable tourism development policy. The Blue Flag program aim is for the sustainable development of beaches and marinas that ensure strict water quality criteria, environmental education and information, environmental management, safety and other services.

Blue Flag label requirements

The Blue Flag, which is awarded to beaches or marinas, provides a positive and dynamic image for both residents and visitors. In this sense, it also promotes general awareness about behavior that is more respectful of nature and its importance. This can be achieved through: strengthening water quality criteria, environmental education, environmental management, safety and services.

As a tourist, going to a Blue Flag beach means choosing a site with a number of facilities to minimize the impacts of tourism. Onsite, visitors will find waste sorting bins for waste recycling and disposal, and restrooms that permit the maintenance of bathing water quality. Bathing safety and accessibility for all are also taken into account, as is information on bathing water quality and on local flora and fauna. The communes, which ensure the label, organize environmental awareness activities in various forms throughout the year, and especially during the summer season.

Labeled marinas

Labeled marinas prioritize the protection of the environment and the marine environment. Recreational boaters have access to: careening areas that do not reject in the natural environment, systems for the recovery of sewage from boats, and special waste recovery areas. Like the communes, the Blue Flag marinas offer environmental activities to raise awareness among boaters and visitors about the environment’s fragility.