Brazil has reached this season a total of 75 "blue flags" in beaches and marinas, after adding new enclaves such as Florianópolis, Búzios, or Porto de Pedras. This figure represents a 25% increase compared to the 60 spaces recognized in the previous campaign.
"This achievement consolidates Brazil's leadership in South America and its second position in the Americas. For those dreaming of a trip to paradise beaches, the expanded network offers more destinations that combine contact with nature with the care of its conservation," explained Embratur in a press release.
The Brazilian Agency for International Promotion of Tourism has detailed that 63 beaches and 12 marinas from seven states of the country have obtained the distinction, which values water quality, environmental management, education, infrastructure, and safety for tourists.
The candidate proposals undergo national and international evaluations and on-site inspections. Embratur integrates the national jury, while the final resolution falls on an international committee formed by representatives and specialists from UN Tourism, UNESCO, UNEP, ICLEI, IUCN, and the World Cetacean Alliance, among other entities.
Coinciding with the 20 years of the program's presence in the country, "Blue Flag" will celebrate the national award ceremony on November 6 at the Nautical Club of Santa Catarina, in Florianópolis.
In the distribution by states, Santa Catarina leads with 38 certified locations, followed by Rio de Janeiro (20), Bahia (7), São Paulo (5), and Alagoas (3). Ceará and Paraná complete the list with one distinguished space each.
"The confirmation of the 75 candidacies by the international jury highlights the evolution of the program in Brazil and the commitment of the destinations to incorporate sustainability, safety, and environmental quality criteria into their management," stated the national coordinator of the Blue Flag Program in Brazil, Leana Bernardi.