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Date Published: 12/05/2022

ARCHIVED - Benidorm to appeal loss of coveted Blue Flag on popular Poniente beach

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The Marina Baixa resort's second largest beach failed to make the grade in the 2022 Blue Flag awards

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Benidorm to appeal loss of coveted Blue Flag on popular Poniente beach

Spain has once again held onto its worldwide leadership in terms of prestigious Blue Flag awards this year with 729, and the Valencia region remains at the top of the table having received 158.

However, Benidorm has been dealt a huge blow ahead of the summer after Playa Poniente, its second largest beach and a firm tourist favourite, failed to make the grade and its iconic Blue Flag status - one of the world's most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators - was not renewed.

Levante and Mal beaches will fly the flag this year, but just as Benidorm is gearing up for the imminent arrival of international tourists, the Town Hall was hoping to show off a full house of seals and quality badges and now plans to appeal the decision by the European Federation of Environmental Education (FEE), the body that certifies the excellence of beaches.

In a statement, the local council said the decision not to renew the Blue Flag was "based on the result of a single sample analysis carried out in mid-June 2021 at one point on the beach that despite being localised has affected the computation of the rest of the samples obtained".

Also read: Watching you: Benidorm to put CCTV on its beaches to prevent overcrowding

Benidorm tourism sector relies heavily on the pull of its coastline and stunning beaches that are hailed as "the jewel in the resort's crown", and the Town Hall has been quick to argue that the "quality of the water, sand and other services at Poniente beach continue to make it worthy of the Blue Flag.

"The sample obtained by the FEE in one of the two areas analysed was isolated (following a discharge) and, consequently, does not determine the quality and excellence of the water and sand of the beach," said Councillor for Beaches, Monica Gomez, on Wednesday May 11 following recent far more positive tests at the Municipal Laboratory.

"Our beaches are constantly audited by different agencies and comply with the most demanding quality certifications," added Gomez, who blasted the withdrawal of the flag as "unfair" adding that it doesn't take into account the fact that all other factors and services, such as accessibility are "excellent".

For more than a decade, Benidorm's three beaches - Poniente, Levante and Mal Pas - have held the Q for Quality (ISO 13009) award and more recently the distinctive quality SICTED seal.

Now read: Family of Brit who drowned rescuing his dog from a river near Benidorm launch appeal to repatriate his body

Image: Turismo de Benidorm

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