Apokoronas triples its Blue Flag beaches, growing from 6 to 17 since 2014

Summary

Apokoronas now holds 17 Blue Flag awards for the 2026 summer season, up from just 6 when Mayor Charalampos Koukianakis took office in 2014. The first flag of the season was raised at the LA MER hotel beach in Kavros, marking eleven years of steady improvement in coastal water quality, safety, and environmental standards. The achievement reflects combined efforts by municipal workers, tourism businesses, and local residents who maintain the area's beaches to international standards year-round.

Apokoronas beaches earn 17 Blue Flags — up from 6 in 2014

On a clear summer morning at the LA MER hotel in Kavros, Mayor Charalampos Koukianakis raised the first Blue Flag of the 2026 season in a ceremony that marked far more than a seasonal ritual. Standing alongside the hotel's owner, management, and staff, the mayor used the moment to highlight twelve years of measurable progress along the Apokoronas coastline.

What the Blue Flag means in practice

The Blue Flag is one of the world's most recognised voluntary eco-labels, awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to beaches and marinas that meet strict criteria across four areas: water quality, environmental management, safety and services, and environmental education. Flags are not awarded automatically — they must be applied for each year and can be withdrawn if standards slip.

For anyone swimming, snorkelling, or simply relaxing on an Apokoronas beach this summer, a Blue Flag is a practical assurance: the water has been tested and is clean, the beach is safe and well-managed, and the operators running it are held to international environmental standards.

From 6 to 17 — the story behind the number

When Mayor Koukianakis first took office in 2014, the municipality held six Blue Flags. The 2026 season brings that total to 17 — eleven additional international certifications earned over the course of his administration. That growth did not happen by accident. Behind each flag are regular water quality tests, environmental compliance checks, investment in beach facilities, and the daily work of the people who run them.

The mayor credited municipal employees, tourism professionals, hotel and beach operators, and local residents — all of whom he described as essential links in what he called a large collective effort. Special recognition went to the team at LA MER, whose beach hosted the season's opening ceremony.

What this means for the region

Blue Flags are increasingly used by travellers when choosing a destination, and a higher count makes Apokoronas more visible and competitive in the international tourism market. For residents, the growing number of certified beaches reflects a broader commitment to keeping the local coastline clean, safe, and well-maintained — not just during the summer months, but year-round.

The municipality has signalled it intends to keep raising its standards further in the seasons ahead.

Official source

PRESS RELEASE – FROM 6 TO 17 BLUE FLAGS – THE NUMBERS SPEAK, APOKORONAS MOVES FORWARD.

July 14, 2026, 8:28 AM

The first Blue Flag of this year's season is flying at LA MER, in Kavros, Apokoronas, where the raising was carried out by the Mayor of Apokoronas, Charalampos Koukianakis, in the presence of the owner, the management, and the employees of the hotel.

A symbolic moment, but above all a moment that captures an entire journey.

Mayor Charalampos Koukianakis, on the occasion of the raising of the Blue Flag, stated:

"In 2014, when we took on the responsibility of the Municipality, Apokoronas had 6 Blue Flags. Today it has 17.

Eleven more international distinctions. Eleven more strong proofs that systematic work, persistence, and a plan deliver results.

Blue Flags are not given away — they are won with strict criteria, clean and safe beaches, environmental protection, and daily effort — and behind each one stand the employees of the Municipality, the tourism professionals, the businesses that invest in quality, and the citizens who love and respect our place.

Today, at LA MER, we raised high the image of an Apokoronas that works, claims, evolves, and wins international recognition.

Warm congratulations to the management and employees of LA MER, but also to the management and employees of all the businesses that participate in this great effort and contribute daily, with professionalism, consistency, and respect for the environment, so that Apokoronas maintains the quality bar high.

A big thank you to everyone who forms a link in this great collective effort.

6 in 2014. 17 today.

Fewer words, more work, measurable result.

And we continue — with the bar even higher.

For an Apokoronas that does not settle for less.

For an Apokoronas that deserves to play a leading role."