
On Monday, 28 November 2016 an official ceremony was held at Grotto Beach in Hermanus to mark the 16th season of the Blue Flag certification programme in South Africa.
Grotto Beach holds the record of being awarded the longest uninterrupted Blue Flag association of the country.
Other local achievers were Kleinmond Beach and Hawston Beach. Whale-watching boats have recently been introduced into the programme with local vessels the Whale Whisperer, Dream Catcher and Slashfin(Dyer Island Conservation Trust and Marine Dynamics, Gansbaai) all receiving the coveted Blue Flag status this year by complying with the Blue Flag for Whale-watching Boat’s Environmental Code of Conduct.
The event was hosted by the Overstrand Municipality and included an address by Overstrand Deputy Mayor, Dudley Coetzee, who said, “Tourism plays a pivotal role in the local economy; it is therefore essential that we look after our beaches and maintain the necessary standards to ensure that both tourists and locals can continue to enjoy this natural asset.”