The event in the South Aegean administrative region, scheduled to take place from May 5 to 7, will be preceded by the 13th edition of the European Taekwondo Union (ETU) Poomsae Championships on May 2 and 3.

"It is an honour to pass the torch of a major European Taekwondo event to the World Taekwondo and especially when it comes to the commencement of the first WTF Beach Poomsae Championships," said ETU President Sakis Pragalos.

"At the same time it is important to give the opportunity to the national teams to reduce their travelling cost, since all European national teams can participate in both Championships."

The Championships will provide a major opportunity for the WTF to showcase poomsae, which it hopes will be added to the programme for the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games, due to be held in San Diego in September 2019.

"The success of these Championships is very important, since it will mark the participation of WTF in San Diego 2019 ANOC World Beach Games," said WTF President Chungwon Choue.

"We are delighted that the event will be launched in such a historical and beautiful Greek island as Rhodes."

The first-ever WTF World Beach Championships were scheduled to take place in Bali in July but were cancelled a month prior due to financial problems affecting the Organising Committee.

The Beach Championships, consisting only of poomsae demonstration-style events, had been billed as an innovative way to boost the profile of the sport.

Men were due to wear sleeveless shirts, with women competing in tank tops.

The South Greek Taekwondo Union (ETANE) are co-organisers and supporters of the first WTF Beach Poomsae Championships in both infrastructure and labour expertise.

WTF director general Yang Jin Bang has travelled to Rhodes in order to visit the locations for the Championships and discuss the frame of partnership between the WTF, ETU, ETANE, the South Aegean region administration, the Municipality of South Aegean and other local authorities.

There, he met with Vice-Governor of the South Aegean region Marieta Papavasileiou, ETU secretary general Michael Fysentzidis and Pragalos. 

"It is an honour for us to be trusted with the organisational responsibility by the World Taekwondo Federation and the European Taekwondo Union," said Fysentzidis, who is also vice-president of ETANE.

"I am certain that the hospitality of Rhodes, will be proven the epitome of launching the WTF Beach Poomsae Championships and will set a participation record for the European Poomsae Championships."

George Chatzimarkos, Governor of the South Aegean region, added: "The first WTF Beach Poomsae Championships is another major athletic event, which increases the quality of all the sports events, organised and supported by the Municipality of South Aegean.

"The development of sport tourism as a niche market, sets our strategic objective.

"The island of Rhodes is being established in the international sports world, as the ideal place to host prestigious sport events of international standards.

"The magnificent beaches and the welcoming weather will ensure the flawless conduction of the Championships and will endow the athletes and the fans that will visit the island, with an unforgettable experience.

"Such paramount global events as the first WTF Beach Poomsae Championships, will help Rhodes to reinforce the outreach of the international touristic movement, while communicating why it is worth visiting the islands of the South Aegean."