This year, 43 Balaton beaches took part in the competition, all of which performed well and achieved the four- or five-star Blue Wave Flag qualification.

The result reflects the significant government support given to the development of the Balaton beaches in recent years. The beach operators hope that there will be a continuation - stated Gábor Lombár, the president of the association, at the award ceremony of the 20th competition of the Balaton Association (BSZ), which brings together municipalities, on Wednesday in Csopak.

From June 19, the booth visits took place for five days. The members of the association's partners, the Women's Association for Balaton, the Balaton Tourism Association, the Balaton Circle, the Balaton Upland National Park, and the staff of the Hungarian Tourist Agency participated in the judging.

Again this year, the number of stars appearing on the Blue Wave Flag ranging from one to five showed the quality and selection of the spa services.

During the certification, the parking conditions, the condition and cleanliness of the water blocks, the barrier-free level of the beach (parking lot, sidewalks, water blocks, access to water), the state of the environment (flowering, the condition of the lawn and riverbed), the quality and shading of the playgrounds were examined.

Sports opportunities were taken into account, and child-friendly services such as a changing room or a family changing room were also on point. They examined the offer of beach restaurants, considering the presence of local products and a reconsidered or renewed selection of food and drinks to be important.

"The rating system is a kind of guide for beach operators. We renew and update the system of criteria every year, as the services are also constantly expanding," said Krisztina Fabacsovicsné Kovács, secretary of the association, adding: this year, for example, they focused on the existence of the water slide, animation, and rental options.

He noted that the Blue Flag-winning beaches in Balaton are outstanding in comparison to Hungarian beaches, but they also hold their own at the European level.

At the award ceremony, it was announced that on the occasion of the jubilee of the operation of the rating system, not one absolute winner will be announced this year, but six beaches that have featured prominently in the competition for years will receive the main prize.

The winners of the anniversary award are: the Village Beach in Csopak, the Esterházy Beach and Élményfürdő in Balatonfüred, the Diási Toy Beach in Gyenesdias, the Lido Beach in Vonyarcvashegy, the Keleti Beach in Balatonföldvár, and the Village Beach in Balatonberény.

Of the participating beaches, 29 achieved five-star and 14 four-star ratings.

The three counties around the lake also awarded their best separately. The 2023 Balaton Gastro-Beach Special Award of the Balatoni Kör was won this year by Platán Strand in Balatonboglár. The restaurants here are an example of how it is possible to operate a beach with year-round operation and quality offerings.

The special award of the Balaton Tourism Association, "Balaton's excellent four-season beach" was awarded to Szigliget Községi Beach, which is known to offer programs for its visitors all year round.

The "Green Leaf Award" of the Balaton-Felvidéki National Park was awarded to Bételepi Beach in Fonyód, which is outstanding in terms of green space, the "Green Frog Award" was awarded to the Municipal Beach in Balatonberény, which is outstanding in terms of environmental education, and the "Green Nest Award" was awarded to the Diási Toy Beach in Gyenesdiás, which is outstanding in terms of habitat protection.

The BSZ has created a website that presents all flag-winning beaches with their services, prices, and opening hours.

MTI