Is Blue Flag certification a means of destination competitiveness? A Canadian context

As competition increases, so does the need for a destination to differentiate itself. Blue Flag, a voluntary environmental certification, has been described as an effective marketing tool to communicate nature-based management to consumers. Does certification, however, influence the consumer's choice when choosing a destination? This study examined consumer's satisfaction of beach characteristics and tourist preferences for beach selection through subjective indicators of destination competitiveness. Findings show that knowledge of Blue Flag certification increased the importance that beachgoers placed on selecting future destinations, as well as higher levels of overall satisfaction, satisfaction with water quality, water cleanliness and beach cleanliness. These results suggest that beach certification is a signal of indirect competitiveness. As such, tourism agencies may be able to deploy the results of this research to support their decision to utilize certifications as a means of differentiation, as well as being a strategy through which to educate the beachgoers of their role in protecting and maintaining the beach for current and future generations.