Perceived Influence of Blue Flag as a Driver of Tourism and Environmental Management in Brazil

A Influência Percebida da Bandeira Azul como Impulsionador do Turismo e Gestão Ambiental no Brasil

This study seeks to investigate the influence of the blue flag program on sun and sea tourism and on the management of beaches on the Brazilian coast. Public and private documents, audiovisual materials, and 54 in-depth interviews with different stakeholders were the sources of evidence of the research, which was based on 16 Brazilian beaches already certified by the program. The main results of this research reveal that, if, on the one hand, the BFP has exerted an important influence on the growth of tourism, promoting environmental management and contributing to the improvement of the quality of the services offered on the beaches, on the other hand, there is a critical dependence on the municipal government so that the beaches continue to meet the BFP certification criteria. Based on the findings, the article provides six recommendations for dealing with the opportunities and challenges associated with BFP.

Keywords:
Blue Flag program; Eco-certification; Sustainable tourism; Brazilian coast; Beach management