The representatives of our sister hotels, Lapa Ríos EcoLodge, Harmony Hotel, Arenas del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort and Finca Rosa Blanca also attended the event, receiving the Blue Flag for Climate Change.
What is the Blue Flag Ecological Program?
The Blue Flag Ecological Program was created in response to the imminent dangers of beach pollution, its repercussions on public health and the tourism industry.
The Blue Flag Ecological Program is an interinstitutional effort, made official through the Executive Decrees # 25626-96, Decree # 31610 S-MINAE-TUR and the Decree # 31648 MEP-MINAE-S-TUR, from February 9, 2004, which included participation from the Costa Rica Tourism Institute (ICT), National Water and Sewer Service (AyA), Public Health Ministry (MS), Environment Ministry (MINAE), Education Ministry (ME) and the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR).
Besides being a program that has managed to coordinate efforts between those institutions involved, it also allows citizen participation. In order to participate, the Pro BAE committee standards must be adhered to within the participating communities and local schools, since these institutions implement the program’s lines of action which the award’s granting depends on.
The Ecological Blue Flag is granted annually to those communities and local schools that have reached, at a minimum, 90% of that which is required by the end of the year. In the case of coastal communities that belong to the Blue Flag program, additional efforts will be recognized for two, and now even four stars, if they make efforts in other considered areas to achieve overall development, within the proposed focus.
As part of its BAE program objectives that recently began within the coastal communities, and those maritime areas affected by institutions, the Costa Rica Tourism Institute defines program goals that designate personal technicians and economic resources to support the initiative and take on related field work in order to verify that the program’s promoted lines of action are fulfilled by the communities.
Since the beginning, the ICT, together with the National Water and Sewer Service (AyA), regarding that related to BAE – Coastal Communities have assumed follow-up and other responsibilities for the efforts made by beach institutions that have signed up for the program. For example, the AyA technical team is responsible for sea-water analysis, human water consumption, and coastal quality with respect to water and industrial waste. These are carried out by means of laboratory tests, while following microbiological procedures and parameters previously established. The ICT’s technical team is responsible for inorganic waste, trash cans, environmental education, security and administration, and that related to base parameters.
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