485 beaches in Italy awarded Blue Flag in 2024

Some 485 beaches in 236 municipalities across Italy were awarded a "Blue Flag" for their sustainability and environmental cleanliness in 2024, the Italian branch of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) announced on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The figure marked an increase compared to the 226 municipalities honored for the quality of their environments last year.

The award boosts municipalities and their economies by helping attract investment, and both domestic and foreign tourism.

The list of Italy's cleanest and most beautiful beaches (including lake and sea beaches) got 14 new entries this year. Northwest coastal Liguria confirmed its top rank as the region with the highest number of locations awarded (34), followed by southern Apulia (24 flags, three more than in 2023), the southern Campania and Calabria regions (both 20 flags), central Marche (19) and Tuscany (18).

The aim of the Blue Flag program is to encourage local authorities in coastal and tourist resorts to implement increasingly sustainable policies in managing their waters, lands, and overall environment.