InterContinental Malta is supporting the Malta Hotel Heritage Sponsorship Scheme, together with HSBC Bank Malta plc and Malta’s national heritage agency, Heritage Malta, to raise funds for the preservation of the megalithic

temple of Hagar Qim.

Guests staying at InterContinental Malta are being asked for a voluntary contribution of one euro per room per night to be added to their hotel bill, which will go into an HSBC Bank account towards funding Heritage Malta’s major Hagar Qim conservation project.

In the two months since the scheme was launched, InterContinental Malta has collected Lm2,500 from its guests.

Hagar Qim and Malta’s other neolithic temples are grouped together by UNESCO as a world heritage site. “Responsible tourism means doing our bit to give something back for the preservation of sites that we have enjoyed, so that future generations can enjoy them too. Being a world heritage site, Hagar Qim belongs to each one of us, wherever in the world we come from, and we are honored to be given the opportunity to co-sponsor such an important site and be a team player in contributing towards the conservation and enhancement of Malta’s great history and heritage” said InterContinental Malta general manager Christophe Laure.

Heritage Malta chairman Mario Tabone thanked Mr Laure for the hotel’s cooperation and for having agreed to take part in the project whereby tourists contribute towards the preservation of our national heritage – a project that was promoted by HSBC CEO Shaun Wallis. Dr Tabone stressed the importance of our heritage for Maltese society in general, as well as its importance as the biggest factor for guaranteeing sustainable tourism. He ended by repeating that, “Heritage is therefore, not only the pride and wealth of the country, but also a strong economic contributor to the future.”