This summer the newly launched Tourism Blue Flag project will see the deployment of 200 beach stewards at blue flag sites around the country, with the aim of improving experience at beaches.
Tourism Blue Flag will benefit 50 beaches along the South African coast, including Silverstream Strand near Atlantis, by providing improved tourism facilities and services, while the beach stewards themselves will receive accredited training in environmental education, with the ultimate goal of further employment in the coastal tourism sector.
This exciting new three-year coastal tourism and youth development project is being implemented by WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) in partnership with the national Department of Tourism.
The beach stewards are being hosted by local coastal municipalities and will be easily recognisable to beach-goers in their project-branded apparel. They have completed their induction training and are looking forward to interacting with visitors to blue-flag beaches over the coming months.
Activities you can expect to see them rolling out at participating beaches include fun and interactive environmental education activities for school-going children, monitoring of beach activities.
Also, conducting of visitor surveys as well as other data gathering, providing updates on weather and general beach conditions via Twitter, assisting lifeguards by helping to improve water safety at the beach.
The stewards will also help beach managers maintain the high blue-flag standards related to safety, environmental management, water quality and environmental education at their beaches.
For a list of all the beaches where the Tourism Blue Flag Beach Stewards will be active along our coastline from November onwards, visit www.wessa.org.za/TBF.
