L-R, Mr. Mario Attard - MTA Product Planning Director, Ing. Francis Farrugia – MSA Chairman, Mr. David Mifsud – MTA CEO, Mr. Adrian Mallia – ADI Associates

Eco-Certification

The Malta Tourism Authority’s Eco-Certification Scheme has succeeded in encouraging hotels to deliver a better product to meet the demand of the evermore environmentally aware tourist. To participate, hotels must comply with a number of criteria all aimed at improving the hotels’ environmental performance and increasing environmental awareness amongst employees.

The MTA presented an Eco-Certificate to the successful participants in the Scheme’s second cycle since its launch in 2002. Ten hotels, namely the Hilton Malta, Le Meridien Phoenicia, Corinthia San Gorg Hotel, Corinthia Marina Hotel, Dolmen Resort Hotel, Selmun Palace Hotel, Barcelo Riviera Resort & Spa, Santana Hotel, Sunflower Hotel and Victoria Hotel successfully comply with almost 130 criteria designed to ensure the improved environmental performance of each hotel.

The Eco-Certification Award Ceremony was hosted at the Hilton Malta on the 17th May 2007. The event began at 9.30 am and included a half-day seminar. Guest speakers for the event included the Minister for Tourism and Culture, MTA representatives, the Chairman of the Malta Standards Authority and a Hilton Malta representative. The seminar served to promote the EU’s Eco-Label Scheme and explored how the Eco-Certification Seminar can facilitate certified hotels to also achieve the EU Eco-Label – an internationally recognised standard. The event also encouraged those hotels that are not yet certified to participate in the Scheme.