Is a Blue Flag Beach Sustainable?: A Study of Padubidri Beach

Abstract

The Blue Flag program is run by an independent non-profit organization that assures tourists regarding the environmental quality of the beaches. The program is to encourage local administration and tourism stakeholders to continuously develop the environmental quality of the destination. A Blue Flag Beach Award scheme is adopted to manage beaches and attract tourism to be more responsive to the environment and the community. The study aims to analyze the Blue Flag beach of Padubidri and to what extent it contributes to the sustainable management of coastal resources and development of tourism. The study undertakes a netnographic approach to observe the reviews of tourists visiting the beach. The findings of the study do confirm that the Blue Flag certification program is perceived as having more tourism potential to attract tourists rather than sustainable tourism development.