COLOMBO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will certify four areas as Blue Flag beaches for the first time before the end of the year to boost tourism, state media reported on Tuesday.
Quoting a spokesperson for the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), Daily News reported that Unawatuna and Bentota in the south, and Arugambay and Pasikuda in the east are beaches that will become internationally accredited Blue Flag beaches.
All the above areas are highly popular among foreign tourists that come to Sri Lanka.
A total of 33 conditions must be fulfilled for a beach to become an accredited Blue Flag beach, including water quality, environmental management, safety, environmental awareness and information provision, according to the report.
Tourism is a key source of foreign income and the country received over 1.48 million tourists in 2023, an increase of 106.6 percent from 2022, and the country attempts to attract 2.3 million tourists in 2024. ■
