Another 12 hotels are joining the HSBC Cares for Heritage Malta Fund, which with Heritage Malta aims to raise money for historic sites. Six hotels joined the scheme last year.

The hotels participating in the scheme are linked to historic sites. Patrons at any of the hotels in the scheme find a brochure in their room, inviting them to contribute a euro for each night to be spent at the hotel.

Of the 12 new hotels joining the scheme, five are allocating money to the Maritime Museum, two to the Inquisitor’s Palace, two to the Domus Romana and one each to St Paul’s Catacombs, Ghar Dalam and Ta’ Kola Windmill. The first six hotels are collecting for the hypogeum, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, St Paul’s Catacombs and the National Museum of Natural History.

Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, launching the second phase of the Malta Hotel Heritage Sponsorship Scheme yesterday, said the government was implementing various projects aimed to bring up to international level every archaeological and historical site.

The Armoury has been restored, and has been described as the best in the Mediterranean, and one of the best in the world. Works are in hand at the National Museum of Archaeology and works have been carried out or are in process at the Natural History Museum, Verdala Palace, Bighi and ta’ Bistra catacombs.

The grand project for next year will involve Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, he said. Contracts have been awarded for weather shelters for the two sites, costing some Lm1 million. The tents are expected to be ready by the middle of next year. A visitors’ centre will be completed after next summer.