ISO 13009

ISO 13009:2015 (BDS ISO 13009:2015) TOURISM AND RELATED SERVICES. REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONCESSIONAIRES AND BEACH USERS

ISO 13009

ISO 13009 specifies the general requirements and recommendations for beach maintenance companies that offer tourist and consumer services. The standard provides guidance for both beach concessionaires and users in terms of service, sustainable management and planning, beach ownership, reliable infrastructure and service delivery needs, including beach safety, information and communication, cleaning and waste disposal. 

ISO 13009 is the first specific standard developed specifically for beaches. Prior to its publication, there were almost no guidelines to help beach operators define and plan their management. As a result, many beaches are not developed and managed in a sustainable way, often leaving unpleasant impressions on tourists and users. ISO 13009 provides guidance to support the creation of international criteria for beach management and safety. By using it, beach operators will be able to make more informed decisions about the management of the sandstrips for which they are responsible, based on a consistent approach based on best practices. 

In order to determine how to apply the requirements of ISO 13009, it is envisaged to use a risk management procedure to identify the risks and hazards specific to each beach and identify the appropriate control measures necessary to reduce the risk of accidents. Performing a risk assessment is an easy way to support the management and safety of a beach. It also determines the type of beach (beach with high activity or beach with low activity). Each beach is unique and has its own characteristics. A beach can be defined as a beach with low activity for most of the year, but classified as a beach with high activity for two weeks of the year (e.g. during a season or carnival period), therefore a different management approach is required: taking temporary measures and features to be added. The standard allows operators to use specific requirements of the standard depending on the type of beach served in a specific period of the year.

In addition to the general organization of the beach, the standard also includes other important aspects such as providing training and information on beach safety, marking, access and zoning, monitoring and rescue, water quality and recreational facilities.

Main areas covered by the ISO 13009 standard:

• information services provided on beaches;
• services related to beach safety – signaling, flags, zoning, control measures;
• accessibility;
• cleaning and removal of waste;
• commercial services and entertainment – restaurants, sports, etc.;
• monitoring and risk assessment.

What are the benefits of implementing ISO 13009?

The implementation of the ISO 13009 standard brings a number of benefits and advantages, both for operators of beach facilities and for local communities in areas where tourism is one of the main economic activities:

• better tourist services and higher customer satisfaction, through the provision of quality tourist services aimed at building a good image of the destination, and consequently economic growth of the region;
• compliance with regulatory requirements;
• highly efficient and maintained infrastructure;
• prevention of incidents and management of emergencies;
• limiting the impact on the environment, through the management of emerging social and economic risks;
• increasing trust among the local population;
• continuous improvement;
  support for increasing public awareness regarding the sustainable development of beach areas;
  improving the economic and social structure of seaside resorts.

The standard is applicable to all beaches during their active season.