Antalya ranks first globally in Blue Flag awards

Antalya has ranked first globally in the number of Blue Flag awards, according to the 2026 Blue Flag Awards announced by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The city holds 233 Blue Flags, placing it significantly ahead of other global locations.

Turkey as a whole ranks third in the world with a total of 654 Blue Flags, including 580 beaches, 30 marinas, 26 individual yachts, and 18 tourism boats. Five Turkish cities appeared in the global top 20: Antalya (1st), Muğla (3rd), İzmir (9th), Balıkesir (11th), and Aydın (15th).

Recep Yavuz, Chairman of the Antalya City Council Tourism Working Group, highlighted the achievement but also issued a warning regarding environmental concerns. He expressed concern over recent plastic and microplastic pollution in the Mediterranean, noting the irony of discussing marine pollution in a region with such high environmental certification standards.