Hotel guests support top heritage sites

The implementation of the Malta Hotel-Heritage Scheme, which encourages guests to add a small contribution to their bill for every night spent here in order to help Heritage Malta manage and maintain a number of leading historic sites, was launched yesterday by the HSBC Cares for Malta's Heritage Fund.

The scheme is in collaboration with InterContinental Malta, Corinthia Hotels, Radisson SAS Hotels, Hilton Malta and the Xara Palace Hotel, and each will be associated with a particular site. These include Hagar Qim temples, where the launch of the scheme took place, Mnajdra temples, the Hypogeum, St Paul's Catacombs and Vilhena Palace.

Guests will find information on the scheme and the sites being supported in the participating hotels, and those wishing to join will have the €1 per room night added to their bill. The funds collected will be administered by Heritage Malta to help in the restoration and preservation of the sites.

Those who do not wish to make a contribution can opt out simply by informing the reception desk.

"Last October, when we launched the HSBC Cares For Malta's Heritage Fund, we had put forward the proposal of a hotel-heritage sponsorship scheme. Our idea was to team up with Malta's hotels and encourage visitors to make a small contribution towards the upkeep of some of Malta's fantastic heritage sites," HSBC's CEO, Shaun Wallis, said.

The launch of the hotel-heritage scheme was great news not only for the five sites that have been earmarked, but also for all the other sites Heritage Malta manages, its chairman, Mario Tabone, said, explaining that the new source of funding would, hopefully, free some of its scarce resources that could be dedicated to other sites. Until now, these may not have been given all the attention they deserve, he said.

"Furthermore, the fact that, thanks to HSBC, information on Heritage Malta and the sites we manage will be available in the participating hotels, should also help increase visitor numbers," Dr Tabone said.

The hotel-heritage scheme is the first of its kind in Malta, and running it requires a lot of administration, and the full cooperation of all those participating, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.

"It is only by having all the stakeholders pulling together in the same direction that we can ensure Malta's heritage is protected and, at the same time, our vital tourism industry continues to develop and strengthen," he said.