Hotels add green stamp to their stars

About 10 per cent of hotels in Malta are considered to be eco-friendly by the Malta Tourism Authority and the figure is set to rise by January 2009, with another eight hotels having submitted their applications.

It may not appear to be much at first glance - 13 hotels, so far - but the MTA's Quality Assurance Directorate says the fact that the concept is still relatively new, that it involves an effort on the part of the hotels and is voluntary has to be taken into account. The MTA introduced the certification about five years ago.

Hotels do not have any form of incentive to adhere to the several criteria that could label them eco-friendly. On the contrary, they have to pay an application fee.

The eco-certification scheme would never target 100 per cent of the hotels. In general, the most such initiatives would aim for is about 30 per cent, otherwise the label would lose its prestige, the directorate explained.

Nevertheless, the words tourism and the environment have become more interlinked as the effects of one on the other are being strongly felt and the emphasis is laid on sustainable tourism as the only way forward for Malta.

In fact, the theme of World Tourism Day, being celebrated today, is Tourism Responding To The Challenge Of Climate Change, and the eco-certification is a concrete step in that direction.

To be certified eco-friendly means a hotel has met 38 compulsory criteria, including, for example, using low-consumption light bulbs and water-saving devices in room showers. The list also includes 62 non-compulsory measures.

Hotels are required to undergo an audit by independent environmental consultants when they apply for the two-year certification and must submit documentation to prove they are compliant.

Among the 13 eco-friendly properties is Hilton Malta, which was awarded the certification in 2003, two years after it opened. As part of the then Hilton Hotels Corporation Corporate Social Responsibility, it actively promotes environmental sustainability, its assistant engineer Mario Morana said.

One of the major changes in the hotel is the continuous investment in energy-efficient equipment, such as energy lamps, reverse osmosis units, a waste water treatment plant and gas burners.

Implementing new measures and changing attitudes is, however, "always an uphill struggle" but environmental awareness can now be felt and seen, also due to the organisation's internal We Care! environment and utility reduction saving programme, Mr Morana maintained.

Some guests even ask about the hotel's environmental responsibilities when enquiring about accommodation, he said.

"Tourism and the environment are very much inter-related, both positively and negatively... Being a small island, we feel the impact of too many tourists, especially in the peak season with more traffic on the roads, more waste generated and more energy consumption. But it's never too late to rectify."

Mr Morana called for the MTA and hoteliers to join forces on projects close to their hotels in order to enhance their surroundings while the government could provide more support to use renewable energy.

Developing the tourism industry could also run counter to improving the environment and sustainable development is key. New buildings should be energy efficient from the start, he said.

"The bottom line is that tourists expect to find a clean, safe and hassle-free location, away from the noise and pollution in their daily lives. They expect to find what they were actually promised on their holiday brochure," he said.