This award, granted by the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC), positions the Jaén area alongside La Breña, in Almodóvar del Río (Córdoba), as the only inland beaches in Andalusia to receive this seal of excellence in 2026.

Nationally, Spain has reached a historic record of 794 Blue Flags, representing 44 more than in 2025, reaffirming its global leadership in a program that spans 51 countries and over 5,000 locations. Andalusia, with 143 distinctions spread across 48 municipalities, ranks as the second autonomous community nationally, only surpassed by the Valencian Community.

The El Encinarejo beach, nestled in the Jándula reservoir and near the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, is a benchmark for nature tourism in Jaén. Its Blue Flag certifies the quality of its waters, environmental management, and services offered, consolidating it as a key destination for inland tourism.

Maintaining this recognition as an inland beach, in a community with an extensive coastline that concentrates most of the awards, highlights the efforts of the municipality of Andújar and the administrations involved in its conservation and management.

The Blue Flag program celebrates its 40th consecutive edition in 2026. Spain accounts for 15% of all Blue Flags for beaches worldwide and has added 14 new distinguished sandy areas for the first time this year. A historical fact is that seven Spanish beaches and two marinas have maintained the recognition uninterruptedly since the program's inception in 1987.