Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The natural attributes in Puerto Vallarta help it stand out as one of the best vacation destinations in the world, as was proven once again on Monday, August 1, 2016, when Playa de Oro officially received the blue flag that was awarded in June by the Foundation for Environmental Education's (FEE) international jury of environmentalists.

Puerto Vallarta Mayor, Arturo Dávalos Peña was present to receive the award from Blue Flag national coordinator, Joaquín Arturo Díaz Ríos.

"This award enables destinations to compete in three main areas: tourism, being an attraction for domestic and foreign visitors; social, offering quality spaces for residents and tourists; and environmental, to conserve and preserve the environment," said the Blue Flag national coordinator.

"Beach certification involves combined efforts by the government, hotel owners and merchants, as well as beach activities abiding by international standards, including water monitoring and waste management, in order to provide both visitors and residents with safety and peace of mind," the Mayor countered.

This week's presentation makes the city's third Blue Flag certification in as many years. In 2014, Playa Palmares was the first public beach in Puerto Vallarta to be recognized for its high standards of cleanliness, safety, accessibility, amenities and environmental management. It was followed by Playa Camarones Beach in 2015 after two and a half years of efforts to cover the 33 criteria required to be accredited the award.

Blue Flag certification lasts for a year, after which judges must re-visit each location to ensure that the criteria is met. Both of these beaches were re-certified by the Foundation for Environmental Education for the 2016-2017 season at the August 1st event.