From L-R Mr. George Schembri, CEO of the MHRA, Hon. Minister for Tourism and Culture, Dr. Franciz Zammit Dimech, Mr. Vince Attard from Nature Trust and MTA director, Product Planing, Mr. Mario Attard.

A Blue Flag status for St George’s Bay

“The success of the beach replenishment project in St. George’s Bay, St Julian’s means that the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and my Ministry are providing a quality tourism product; a product which ensure that environmental and quality standards are maintained whilst encouraging recreation.”

This was stated by the Minister for Tourism and Culture Francis Zammit Dimech when he launched the Blue Flag status pilot project for St George’s Bay, St Julian’s at a press conference organised by the Product Planning Development Division of the MTA.

Minister Zammit Dimech said that the Blue Flag Programme is a voluntary certification scheme for beaches and marinas that works to bring together the tourism and environmental sectors. St. George’s Bay was the first beach that the MTA has proposed for Blue Flag status.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture said that following our efforts to ensure that the beach conforms to the Blue Flag criteria, we have been successful in receiving Blue Flag pilot project status. “ This is the first beach in Malta to be awarded the Blue Flag, and we are very proud to confirm that the beach is managed in accordance with the Blue Flag requirements that include stringent criteria in the areas of water quality; cleanliness; safety and management; provision of information and environmental education.”

When referring to environmental education, Minister Zammit Dimech said that we have an Educational Programme that will be implemented over the coming year to educate the public about the beach and its management. He said that activities will include learning all about the beach and the benthic community.

“Managing the beach according to the Blue Flag criteria means that the Ministry for Tourism and Culture is taking an integrated approach, supporting policies on safety, water quality, environmental education, waste management, management of nature-based recreation and siting of tourism facilities, amongst other issues,” added Minister Zammit Dimech.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture noted that this Blue Flag pilot project will demonstrate that, when a bay properly planned and managed, recreation can minimise impacts on coastal environments and instigate a move towards sustainable tourism that allows and encourages development whilst minimising environmental impacts.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture asked what can the public expect to gain from this Blue Flag pilot project? He said that we will continue to see improvement in the environmental quality in the area as the Blue Flag is awarded on a yearly basis and therefore management of the area in accordance with high standards must be maintained to ensure that the beach can continue to be advertised with a Blue Flag status.

Minister Zammit Dimech added that the pilot project will help raise awareness and ensure that behaviour required at the beach is maintained.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture said that since 2002 the MTA has already implemented an eco-label for hotels entitled the Eco-Certification Scheme. He said that participation in the Blue Flag Programme extends this work, providing tourists with a quality product from where they choose to reside during their holiday and where to swim adding that these initiatives are key to the government’s policy to promote sustainable tourism.

“We are proud to declare St. George’s Bay as a Blue Flag pilot project beach and look forward to involvement from various stakeholders including the general public, local businesses, local boat owners, schoolchildren and other interested organisations, to ensure that the beach maintains its Blue Flag status. We hope that this will be the first of various such initiatives,” concluded Minister Zammit Dimech.

The Blue Flag Programme is an international eco-label recognised by both tourists and tour operators. It is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education represented in Malta by Nature Trust.

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Information on the St. George’s Bay Blue Flag status

1. In 2000, the Malta Tourism Authority took over the management of St. George’s Bay. At that time, the beach consisted of small sand pockets that were hardly used for recreation. The area was poorly managed and there was no segregation between traffic and pedestrians so that cars were driving onto and parking on the sand.

2. The MTA needed to come up with an innovative management plan to return this formerly popular Bay into one that would be widely used by tourists and locals alike. A long term strategy was developed.

3. A detailed marine survey of the area was carried out to establish what interventions could be done to improve the beach. The data that was gathered enabled scientists and engineers to develop a restoration plan for the sandy beach. The project plan addressed a number of issues including reintroduction of sand to the bay, upgrading of waste water systems, management of stormwater runoff to avoid further erosion of the beach, environmental conservation considerations, waste management, and traffic management.

4. Following the project plan, a number of detailed scientific studies were carried out over a number of years together and all the work carried out was subject to rigorous quality assurance. All this was carried out before any work was done on site to ensure that the project would be properly implemented and sustainable. The MTA took the project through the planning process ensuring that studies required, including an Environmental Impact Assessment, were carried out. We were in regular contact with MEPA to ensure that all the issues that needed to be addressed would be addressed to MEPA’s satisfaction. This included extensive monitoring, laboratory analysis, and quality control on the production of the sand and coordination of its transportation and laying.

5. In 2004, the beach was replenished and subjected to a monitoring programme to monitor the stability of the beach i.e. to determine whether sand was being lost and the quality of the water in the bay. The project included embellishment of the area. A promenade was constructed that segregated the road from the beach. This improved the visual amenity of the area and acted as a safety measure to avoid unauthorised vehicles coming in close contact with the beach. A landscaping scheme was also implemented.

6. The Malta Tourism Authority wanted to take this careful management and monitoring of the Bay a step further, to achieve internationally recognised standards. The Blue Flag eco-label was identified as the most appropriate scheme for the Bay. A beach management plan was put together and a beach management team set up complete with life guards, beach managers, beach cleaners, etc.

7. We are very proud of putting Malta on the Blue Flag map. Malta has now joined over 36 countries from all over the world including Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada, and the Caribbean. St. George’s Bay is one of 3200 beaches and marinas from all over the world that have been awarded the Blue Flag.

8. Malta can now offer a new product that focuses on quality, a product that is internationally recognised and guarantees that:

   • The water in the bay is clean and fit for bathing;
   • The beach is maintained in a clean state;
   • Waste is separated on site;
   • Lifeguards and other personnel are on site to ensure safety of bathers;
   • Services are available, including public toilets; and
   • Environmental information about the beach is available to the public.

9. The success of St. George’s Bay being awarded the Blue Flag is expected to act as a catalyst for other beaches in the Maltese Islands to join the Blue Flag Programme and increase Malta’s competitiveness. The Malta Tourism Authority is committed to achieve Blue Flag status for other beaches as well and we will strive to achieve this award for other locations in the shortest time possible.