The National Blue Flag Jury approved submitting the beaches of Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata and Coson, Samana to the International Blue Flag Jury, conditioning the approval to the beach areas meeting all criteria of the international beach certification program. Cesar Vargas, national program coordinator, congratulated the hotels Viva Wyndham Samana, Coral Marien by Hilton and Iberostar Costa Dorada for their efforts to prepare the beaches for the accreditation. Special recognition was given to hotel directors Marcello Cutri of Viva Wyndham Samana, Luis Liriano of Coral Marien by Hilton and Maria Jose Berbel of Iberostar Costa Dorada.
The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded to over 3,100 beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean in 2006. Under the Blue Flag award system, beaches that fulfill a number of exacting criteria regarding factors such as bathing water quality, cleanliness and safety are given the right to fly the Blue Flag. In the Caribbean, the first Blue Flag beach was Dominicus (Laguna) beach in the municipality of Bayahibe, province of La Altagracia, Dominican Republic.
See http://www.blueflag.org