The preparations for the Blue Flag application, evaluation, and implementation procedures for year 2024 have officially commenced in Italy.
A technical meeting organised by FEE Italia, implementing “Bandiera Blu” is held every year at the end of October to mark the beginning of the new Blue Flag year.
The event sees the participation of both municipalities that have already obtained the Blue Flag award, and of those that are in the process of adopting sustainability measures according to the continuous improvement framework of the Blue Flag programme.
The technical meeting was hosted in the premises of the Lazio regional authority, with the attendance of over 300 representatives from various municipal administrations.
The agenda of the meeting covered a variety of aspects related to the implementaiton of the Blue Flag programme in Italy, and introduced updates for the year 2024.
This year's primary focus was centered on the theme of accessibility in tourism, with valuable input from ENAT (European Network for Accessible Tourism), one of the Institutional Partners of the Blue Flag programme, whose representatives sit in the International Jury.
Furthermore, the Blue Flag Application Form developed by FEE Italia for the upcoming season now includes a new guideline criterion aimed at promoting local efforts for the establishment and improvement of renewable energy communities. This is an important environmental development addressing carbon emissions via the implementation of climate mitigation measures.