Bournemouth is renowned for its excellent tourist attractions, none more so than its beaches. Bournemouth can boast seven miles of golden sands and clear blue water.

No major UK tourist resort has won as many awards as Bournemouth. In 2007 Bournemouth seafront secured four prestigious Blue Flag awards. These awards confirm the cleanliness of the beach and the care that goes into maintaining it.

The beach has provisions for disabled visitors with free use of land trains, which run from Alum Chine and Boscombe, cliff lifts and no pier tolls. There are also beach wheelchairs for ease of access onto our beaches.

Available for hire on the beach are deck chairs, sun beds, windbreaks and parasols to make sure you enjoy the day in comfort. For the more adventurous among you Boscombe beach will soon see the introduction of the first artificial reef in Europe.

Eight beaches along Bournemouth and Poole’s twelve-mile coast have again been bestowed the prestigious Blue Flag beach awards for having litter-free sands and clean swimming waters.

The winning beaches, Alum Chine, Durley Chine, Southbourne and Fisherman’s Walk, Branksome Chine, Canford Cliffs Chine, Sandbanks Peninsular and Shore Road were awarded based on 28 imperative criteria and other guideline criteria of the strictest standard relating to water quality, environmental education, environmental management and safety and services.

Mark Smith, Head of Tourism in Bournemouth, said, “This is of the highest honour to our seafront staff who maintain the beaches to a tremendous standard. It’s this hard work that keep visitors returning year on year. The eight Blue Flag awards are recognition of the fact that our beautiful beaches are among the best in the world.”

Cllr Michael Filer, Cabinet Member for Economy and Tourism, says, “I am delighted with the ENCAMS news. Bournemouth beaches have never failed to be clean and safe and it is fantastic that we have been recognised and awarded for all the hard work that goes into offering a world-class beach to residents and visitors alike.”

Tim Stokes, South West Director of ENCAMS (the charity responsible for Blue Flag in England) said: “The awards have been running for 20 years now. It is testament to the growing popularity and credibility of the awards. But also the hard work that those who look after our beaches across the region have put in to make these stretches of coast spotless.”