The number of coastal locations that will be able to boast the 2024 Blue Flag recognition has risen to 236, ten more than last year. Banner which this year, for the 38th edition, will fly on 485 beaches with excellent sea for 4 consecutive years (27 more than in 2023) which correspond to approximately 11.5% of those awarded worldwide.
However, the number of tourist destinations that have obtained international recognition from the FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) on the basis of 32 Program criteria has dropped from 84 to 81. Liguria is always first on the podium, marking 2 new entries but losing two Flags, thus confirming 34 locations; there Puglia rises to 24 with 3 new municipalities and one exit (Tremiti Islands, Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste, Zapponeta, Bisceglie, Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, Fasano, Ostuni, Carovigno, Lecce, Melendugno, Castro, Patù, Salve, Ugento, Gallipoli, Nardò, Manduria, Maruggio, Leporano, Castellaneta, Ginosa).
Campania and Calabria follow on equal merit with 20 Flags, with one more recognition each. With a new entry, the Marche region receives 19 Blue Flags, while Tuscany loses a Municipality to 18. Sardinia confirms its 15 locations, Abruzzo also rises to 15 with a new entry, Sicily reaches 14 Flags with three new entries, Trentino Alto Adige rises to 12 with two more Municipalities, Lazio remains at 10. In Emilia Romagna awarded 9 locations and reconfirmed the 9 Flags of Veneto. Basilicata confirms its 5 localities, and there are also 5 Municipalities in Piedmont that obtain the Flags. Lombardy confirms 3 Municipalities, Friuli Venezia Giulia maintains its 2, like Molise. This year there are 23 Blue Flags on the lakes, with 2 new ones.
In total there are 14 new entries: Ortona (Abruzzo), Parghelia (Calabria), Cellole (Campania), Borgio Verezzi (Liguria), Recco (Liguria), Porto Sant’Elpidio (Marche), Lecce (Puglia), Manduria (Puglia ), Patù (Puglia), Letojanni (Sicily), Scicli (Sicily), Taormina (Sicily), Tenno (Trentino Alto Adige), Vallelaghi (Trentino Alto Adige). Four municipalities have not been reconfirmed: Ameglia (Liguria), Taggia (Liguria), Margherita di Savoia (Puglia) and Marciana Marina (Tuscany).
