Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – The Banderas Bay region’s natural attributes help it stand out as one of the best vacation destinations in the world, as was recently proven when Playa de Oro was once again awarded Blue Flag certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education’s (FEE) international jury of environmentalists.
The Blue Flag is an eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas in 48 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, North America and the Caribbean that work towards sustainable development through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services.
Beach certification involves combined efforts by the government, hotel owners and merchants, as well as beach activities abiding by international standards, including water monitoring and waste management. The certification lasts for a year, after which judges must re-visit each location to ensure that the criteria is met.
Playa de Oro, a beautiful beach in Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Zone near the Crown Paradise and Hilton Hotels, was first certified in 2016, and it has once again met the criteria to fly the Blue Flag for the 2022-2023 season. The award was presented in a ceremony at the Crown Paradise Hotel earlier this week.
Thanks to the municipal government’s efforts to make Puerto Vallarta the best tourist destination on the Mexican Pacific, Playa de Oro is one of four beaches that have earned this important recognition. The other three are Playa Palmares, the Sheraton Beach and Playa Camarones.
These Blue Flag certifications are a great achievement for Puerto Vallarta, which is one of the most attractive destinations for domestic and foreign tourism due to its beautiful coastline and responsible use of the ecosystem.