It’s not the flag that matters

Andrew EdePalma10/06/2020 17:51

A month later than usual we were able to look at a map with little flags to indicate where the 2020 Blue Flags will be fluttering and where they won’t be. An annual event, it occupies attention for a brief while and is then forgotten until town hall opposition parties make a fuss about why Blue Flags have been lost.

Sometimes they are lost if beaches have failed to come up to quality standards. But more often than not, they are not lost, they are just simply ignored. Look at the flags’ map of Majorca and you can figure out for yourselves which town halls are bothered and which aren’t. Numbered among the latter is Calvia.

The flags in Calvia had been lost, it was said, thus implying something was wrong with the beaches. This isn’t the case. Calvia didn’t put in any nominations. The town hall reckons that the Q Quality system “corresponds more” with its objectives and its system of beach management. From the map, one can see that Felanitx and Santanyi particularly rate the Blue Flag system. Fair enough. It’s entirely a matter for individual town halls.

A talking point it may be briefly, but whatever flags are flying are just confirmation of what town halls have long come to understand is essential for their beaches’ reputations and their tourism economies. They know they have to be assiduous in ensuring standards. People expect these standards, regardless of flags. And if the standards slip, the flak soon flies.