12 beaches were awarded the blue flag award for this summer as Nature Trust tightened down on criteria.

The criteria include water quality testing, rescue operation facilities, first aid service as well as aid for persons with disability.

The beaches awarded the blue flag are Fond Ghadir, St George’s bay, Qawra point, Bugibba beach, Ghadira, Golden Bay, Ghajn Tuffieha, Paradise Bay and the Westin Dragonara Beach.

In Gozo the beaches of Ramla, Hondoq ir-Rummien and Marsalforn have also been awarded the blue flag status.

The beaches given the award were announced by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo together with the Malta Tourism Authority CEO Carlo Micallef.

Bartolo said that “the awards have a more significant meaning than just a blue flag. Thanks to the scrutiny of Nature Trust we are moving leaps and bounds when it comes to the safety and quality of our beaches.”

Micallef expressed his gratitude on the excellent service the beaches in Malta provide stating that “this is not the fruit of one initiative but a series of decisions in order to provide a positive experience to tourists from the moment they arrive in Malta.”

Nature Trust Malta CEO Vince Attard expressed his desire to see more beaches in Malta and Gozo gain the blue flag status.