Travellers booking flights to South Africa may be interested to know that 29 of the country’s beaches have been given blue flag status.
Blue flag status has been awarded to 29 South African beaches this year, an increase of ten over 2008.
Seven of these are located in Cape Town, including the city’s Muizenberg and Camps Bay beaches.
Commenting on the accolade, Mariette du-Toit Helmbold, chief executive officer of Cape Town Tourism, said: “Having as many blue-flag graded beaches as we do accurately suggests that the Cape coastline is not only beautiful but well-maintained and protected as one of our greatest resources.”
The internationally-recognised award is given to stretches of the coast that meet excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness, environmental information and environmental management.
South Africa’s minister for tourism noted that the significant increase in the number of the country’s beaches to receive blue-flag status was a positive knock-on effect of the 2010 World Cup.
The international football tournament will be held at venues across South Africa next year, including the Green Point stadium in Cape Town and the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Written by Ruth Norris
