Beach awards and management

Beach awards are used as promotional tools for UK coastal tourism, but information regarding public knowledge of them is sparse. Studies were carried out at two important UK resorts (Barry and Weston-super-Mare) regarding the three major beach awards — the Blue Flag, Seaside Award and Good Beach Guide. Seventy-two percent of beach users asserted that award status was an important basis for beach selection, but findings suggested poor levels of knowledge of award status at particular beaches and criteria included in awards. Research at 23 beaches in Wales, UK showed that aspects included in the Blue Flag and Seaside Award accounted for just over one-third of userʹs total beach rating. There is a need for beach awards to take proper account of the desires of beach users. Awards should also be appropriate to undeveloped as well as commercialised beaches, thereby reducing the temptation to add possibly undesired facilities to pristine beaches for the purpose of award qualification.