site.btaBlue Flag Award for South Beach in Sunny Beach

The South Beach in Sunny Beach retained the Blue Flag for the 18th straight season, the concession company told BTA’s Galya Teneva. 

The international jury of the Blue Flag environmental programme renewed the distinction after the strip met more than 30 criteria across four categories covering safety, information, beach maintenance and water quality.

International inspections “gave high marks to the way the southern strip is managed; few beaches worldwide match the orderliness of Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast,” Spasov said.

The concessionaire pursues a year-round environmental policy. The sand is cleaned daily by hand and machine, and the protected dunes inside the concession area are safeguarded throughout the year.

“Meeting the criteria raises the standard of the tourist product and attracts more visitors,” Spasov said, noting that the Blue Flag is awarded for one season and requires a fresh application each year.

The beach has offered free services for visitors with physical disabilities for several years, Spasov added. A specialized floating wheelchair enables safe entry into the sea, while lifeguards provide a life jacket if required. Free umbrellas and sunbeds and a designated zone on the sand are available, together with an accessible toilet connected by wooden walkways.

All umbrellas and sunbeds will be in place by June 1 with ample space between them. The strip has already been levelled, disinfected and cleaned, and the medical post with resuscitation team will open with the start of the season on June 1.

Sunny Beach boasts one of the country’s largest shorelines, stretching more than 8 kilometres and reaching up to 100 metres in width. It is loosely divided into north, central and south zones.

BTA is presenting all 30 Bulgarian beaches and harbours distinguished with the Blue Flag by the Programme’s international jury in Copenhagen. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the country’s first award – the pilot Blue Flag was raised at Sunny Beach on July 4, 1995.