Bakery to become museum

A project to turn a bakery into a working museum is among 30 beneficiaries of an EU co-funding scheme administered by the Malta Tourism Authority.

The beneficiaries also include hotels, restaurants and sports organisations have benefited from assistance totalling €2 million for projects related to sustainable tourism, Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said.

He said the funds were also being used for the promotion of local culture and traditions.

Maypole Bakeryhas been given assistance to make a tourist attraction out of a traditional bakery. It will be turning a bakery in Valletta into a museum where the Maltese hobza will be baked according to traditional methods.

Total investment by the beneficiaries was of €4.2 million.

Dr de Marco said that two other calls for co-financing were being issued so that Malta would make full use of an EU allocation of €10 million. The second call closes at the end of this month and the next one will be issued in the New Year.

He welcomed the diversity of the applications - from projects to improve hotels and restaurants to the organisation of cultural events and the promotion of Maltese traditions, and said this showed how sustainable tourism reached a wide audience.

The parliamentary secretary stressed that the tourism industry had to grow in a manner that was sustainable, mindful of the environment and spanning as many sectors as possible.

He urged more operators to take advantage of the scheme.

www.tourismschemes.gov.mt.