St George's Bay gets Blue Flag status

St George’s Bay has become the ninth beach holding Blue Flag status this year, another boost to the touristic product, according to tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis.

Zammit Lewis addressed a press conference this morning, where he emphasized the importance of beaches as touristic assets.

“Being an island, our coastline has an important role in the economy,” he said. “Our beaches tend to be smaller than in other countries, with only 3% of the coastline made up of sandy beaches.”

This, he said, highlights the need for artificial beaches, such as St George’s Bay, in providing additional areas for bathers and increasing Malta’s competitiveness within the international market.

 Zammit Lewis said that artificial beaches required constant maintenance and this year, 5,300 tonnes of sand had been brought in to replenish both St George’s Bay and the perched beach in Bugibba.